LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Rachael Cowell was nominated by Yolanda Chatwood, a family member.

Ms. Cowell has been the band director for Reno High School for the past few years and has gone above and beyond for her students, school, and community in several ways. She has created a welcoming and safe environment for all students, from her band students to their friends and others inside the school community. You can talk to anyone in Reno High about Ms. Cowell; they all call her the "Cool Band Teacher" and talk about how comfortable they feel speaking with her and going to her room if they want to talk or need help.

Ms. Cowell goes out of her way to help all students feel included in her program. She provides free food for students during lunch hour and in the mornings to ensure they get enough to eat throughout the day. Ms. Cowell offers free music lessons to students who need help with their music in class or for auditions in the district and community ensembles. She visits students at the hospital and supports them and their families in their time of need without hesitation. She also hosts a few performances outside school hours to give her students various community performance experiences. Ms. Cowell encourages them to perform in small groups to expand their musical knowledge. Her groups have ranked highest in many competitions and festivals in and outside the Reno area, marking her band as one of the best in the county. There is not a thing she would not do to support those students and ensure they are receiving the best education and living their lives to the fullest.

Within her school, she supports the school and department in several ways. Though she does not have a marching band, she puts together a pep band and dedicates time outside the classroom to bring entertainment and school spirit to sporting events, parades, and pep rallies. She assists and goes above and beyond to contribute to the learning community, and she works hard to be a leader in her department.

Lastly, in the community, Ms. Cowell has become a leader in her own right. She has held leadership roles in the state music organization to help bring engaging and innovative music experiences to students in her community and the state of Nevada. During her first year of teaching, Ms. Cowell won the Nevada New Music Teacher of the Year award through the Nevada Music Educators Association. She is also starting her first year as the Truckee Meadows Community College Band director. In this community ensemble, Ms. Cowell encourages her students and anyone around the county to come and perform in a community performance experience.

"Rachael was previously the Assistant Director for the ensemble and has built a relationship with this community, and we are excited to see where she takes the ensemble in the future," said Chatwood. "Many times, music directors and other non-traditional classroom teachers are overlooked for the hard work, dedication, and love that they give their students, and there is not a soul I feel is more deserving than Rachael Cowell of this honor and recognition."