LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Lauren Bolinski was nominated by a student.

"My English teacher from Stone Bank Middle School is loved by all her students. Although she doesn't work at my old school anymore, many of her past students keep in touch with her because she continues to mean so much to us," said the student.

"Ms. Bo's class was one that all middle school students looked forward to attending daily. She decorated her classroom with colorful lights, comfy chairs to sit on, and soft music to listen to while we worked. She constantly talked about her favorite things: her niece, her boyfriend, her mom, and her friends (who happened to be her coworkers and our Spanish and Social Studies teachers). She cared a great amount about the people in her life and made sure that we knew we were also important to her," said the student.

"I didn't think I was a memorable student in middle school. I was not the token class clown or the smartest of my peers. I had bright, short hair and a back brace that could be seen poking out from under my shirt at times, but it didn't feel like enough to be remembered. Although I felt like this pretty much everywhere I went, she made it a point to show each student that she cared about every one of us," said the student.

"Halfway through my eighth-grade year, our guinea pigs had babies. We knew we didn't have the space or time to separate the boys from the girls and take care of all of them, so my mom reached out online to ask her friends for help. Ms. Bo messaged my mom and offered to take our guinea pigs under her wing. "I have two boy pigs, and I would love to introduce them to your boys if you need someone to take care of them for you," she said."

"This was an act of kindness that my family and I will never forget. She took the boys and introduced them to hers. She sent us videos and pictures throughout the long and difficult process and even introduced them to her new students when they got comfortable. She cared for the dad, Panda, when he fell ill and regularly took him to the vet for checkups and prescriptions. His treatment was a roller coaster of emotions, and Ms. Bo kept us informed the entire time. She spoiled them and treated them as if they were her children. When he passed away, she mourned with us and sent love and support to me and my family," said the student.

"Although I haven't reached out to her in a bit, I will never forget everything she has done for me, my peers, and my family. She made a huge positive impact on my life, and I will forever be grateful for her," said the student.