LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Tony Alayo was nominated by his principal, Amanda Cox.

"At our school, we call our students 'engineers,' believing that they will be the change makers to collaborate and build a better future world," said Cox. "Mr. Tony is truly an 'engineer' of change within our community. Not only does Tony work incredibly hard, he is cheerful and kind. Tony always has a smile or a joke when he passes kids and adults in the hallways.

One teacher shared, "He asks about my day and my daughters and always follows up when there is a custodial issue or concern. I can count on him stopping by many times throughout the year to check that the temperature is okay in my classroom or ask if I need anything. Our engineers love him and know he cares about them, too. Throughout the day, he has playful interactions with all the kids, giving fistbumps and high fives and occasionally chasing them with a mop. The other afternoon, Tony came in to deliver a package to me, and my entire class started clapping for him. We love Tony."

Another team member shared, "Mr. Tony always shows up with a smile and is ready to work hard. He takes his job seriously and ensures all parts of our building are clean and cared for. Tony often shares that his goal is to ensure our school building is cleaner and nicer than a 5-star hotel. He believes our kids deserve a beautiful space to learn and be safe daily. Mr. Tony is a fixer, doer, and helper. My students did an assignment on who they were grateful for in our building, and 85% of them picked Mr. Tony. He truly has made a positive impact on so many lives here, including mine."

"Mr. Tony is also an incredible pianist and talks so fondly, and often with tears in his eyes, about his life back in Cuba and how much he loved playing the piano in the streets. Mr. Tony works hard to provide for his family and speaks with conviction and care with our students about the importance of working hard and receiving a good education," said Cox.