Melissa Cowen was nominated by Joan Raines, the parent of a student.
"There will never be anything I can say to Mrs. Cowen to thank her for everything she did for my daughter GraciLyn and how much she helped her," said Raines.
Graci has struggled with reading since Pre-K, and her struggles made her hesitant to like school. It was hard for Raines, not only because she loved school, but because she also attended Pinewood Elementary.
"From day one, I warned Mrs. Cowen that Graci would be a challenge, but it was a challenge Mrs. Cowen was determined to win," said Raines. "Within a week, she had found where Graci was struggling and did not hesitate to inform me. She let me know she would have Graci loving school and reading by the end of the year."
Mrs. Cowen advocated for Graci to get intervention, always pushing for more time and extra help. She took her own time to get to know Graci, finding out things she liked so she could help her learn and enjoy learning.
"More than once, Mrs.Cowen gave up her lunch time to be by my side as I met with staff at Pinewood and advocated for Graci to get additional help," said Raines. "She came prepared with charts and a folder of information to show exactly where Graci was struggling. She explained all the extra work she was doing to help Graci and all the additional ideas and information she was giving me to help Graci at home."
As the year progressed, Graci started to get up, get dressed, pack her lunch and get ready for school, something her mother never thought she'd see her do. After school, as they walked to the car, Graci was so excited to talk about everything Mrs. Cowen taught her.
"One day, I walked in and saw Graci's iPhone, nerf guns, and toys all laying on the floor. There was Graci sitting with her cats reading them a book," said Raines. "I cried like a big baby. No one was forcing her, she was willingingly reading. It's all thanks to Mrs. Cowen, but she didnt stop there! She advocated to get Graci into the summer reading program. By the end of July, no matter where Graci went, she was reading everything! Every sign, every poster - she couldn't be stopped! I thought this push to get Graci to read would take its toll on her and she would have her fill of school, but she didn't."
Mrs. Cowen makes each and every one of her students love school, and they all love to be there with her. She advocates for every student, giving up any bit of her personal time to do whatever she can to help the students succeed. On the first day of second grade, Mrs. Cowen made sure to check in on her students from last year.
"To me, Mrs. Cowen is the golden standard for what every parent hopes for in a teacher," said Raines. "School is hard enough, so to have someone like her is beyond a blessing!"
Melissa is so deserving of this honor. She is dedicated to the all around well being of her students, making sure they know they are loved every day while they are with her. She is an amazing teacher who knows how to take students from where they are, past where they even thought they could go. She is passionate about helping her students become the best they can be.
Melissa takes great pride in her profession. She works hard and is very deserving of this award.
I am new to Pinewood and haven't had the pleasure of working directly with Melissa, but I can tell you she is always smiling and radiating a positive energy. Her kids love her and she is adored by her fellow colleagues.
As her son she has impacted my life in the best way possible. She was there for me when no one else was, she would stand up for me when I couldn't for myself, and she always tried to make me laugh when I was sad. Melissa has been my greatest friend/mom I could ever have. She deserves this reward for everything she's done for me and her students. As I see that most don't is how hard she works on trying to give her students the best education possible and helping them with there own problems they may have. For this I believe she's the perfect candidate for this year's life changer of the year.
It's an honor to support Melissa and I'm not surprised that she has been nominated.... she is so deserving! Melissa makes every effort to support the diverse needs of her students and is a natural leader among colleagues. Congratulations to Melissa for being nominated and to us for having her here at Pinewood Elementary! :)
Melissa has a way of using technology to enhance her teaching practices and holds high expectations for all of her students. She participates on our school's leadership team and is always willing to help others, whether it is a student, parent, or a colleague.
Mrs. Cowen is a passionate teacher who always does what’s best for her students! We are so grateful for her at Pinewood Elementary School! She is so hardworking and an advocate for her students!
Melissa is a huge asset to Pinewood Elementary and a blessing to each of her students. She works tirelessly to ensure the needs of all of her students are being met. She is always willing to try new strategies and methods until each one of her students gets what they need to be successful. When you walk in her classroom you can find engaged, happy students that are working hard...she works to build relationships in her classroom, teaching all students to accept differences. In addition, Melissa works hard as team leader and has changed the lives of not only students, but her peers as well. She graciously works to plan lessons and activities and shares new knowledge learned from the many trainings she attends with her team, continuously. I have the privilege of working with Melissa on a daily basis and I am so honored to have her by my side, working with her team and students to keep building capacity.
Mrs. Cowen always goes the extra mile for others. I was a new teacher to the school last year and she went out of her way to help me. She cares deeply for all the students she has taught, leaving them notes of encouragement even after they go on to other grades. She is one of "those special teachers" that students will remember the rest of their lives for having such a positive impact on them.
Melissa is a great teacher. She gives her all everyday. We are truely blessed to have Melissa at Pinewood Elementary. She is a positive role model for her students and for staff alike.
We are very happy to have Melissa as part of our Pinewood Elementary family. She is a wonderful teacher and very deserving of this award.
My children have not had the privilege to have Mrs. Cowen as their teacher, however that does not mean that she has not had an impact because she has! She is an amazing teacher who is always kind and attentive to all students at Pinewood Elementary school. These students may not be in her class but she still shows them kindness, leadership, and respect every chance she gets. She is a positive role model for all the students at Pinewood Elementary school and for that she deserves every ounce of praise, respect, and of course recognition!
Melissa Cowen is an amazing teacher and a wonderful person. She has such a desire to do the best for her students. She is loving and encourages her students to learn. She is definitely deserving of this honor. We are so happy to have her at Pinewood Elementary.
My son Gavin was one of the fortunate students to have Ms. Cowen for 1st grade (he is now in third). Gavin says "Ms. Cowen was the best teacher I have ever had, because she was really nice, she taught me well, and she is the one who got me into math. I also became a really good reader in first grade". "She taught me so much that when I went into second grade I already knew my times tables."
Ms. Cowen is such a compassionate & dedicated teacher. Gavin blossomed tremendously in first grade. Ms. Cowen realized very early in the school year that Gavin already knew the math lesson/lessons before she taught it. She recommend that he should participate in Pinewood's math enrichment program. Gavin has continued to participate in the program and this year was asked to be part of the Perennial Math Tournament. It is no surprise that she has been nominated for the Lifechanger Award, because that is exactly what she does! Even when her students move on from her class they know that she continues to hold them close to her heart and cares about their future success. Good Luck Ms. Cowen! We are so thankful that you are part of our lives!
WPTV 5 interview with Melissa Cowen, Joan and Graçi Raines.
https://www.wptv.com/news/region-martin-county/pinewood-elementary-teacher-nominated-for-national-award
My son and I are so very thankful to have Mrs. Cowen as his 1st grade teacher. I have seen the biggest improvement in my son's mathematical and reading abilities. I am astounded at how much he has grown and learned in the short time since being in her class. My son is forever saying how nice and kind she is, forever drawing pictures for her and it warms my heart that he enjoys and appreciates her so much. We are so very fortunate to have a teacher like her that is genuine and motivated to help teach and grow our children. We can't say how thankful we are, enough.
Melissa is an advocate for her students. As our school district's reading coordinator, have seen firsthand her commitment to student success during the school year and outside of school as one of our 1st grade summer camp teachers. It is a joy to see her hard work has paid off and she is being recognized for her efforts. It is also especially rewarding to hear how Graci is thriving and is a reader! Way to go, Melissa AND Graci.
Melissa Cowen is one of the most dedicated teachers that I know. I could not be more proud of her for being nominated for the National Life Changer award. My journey with Melissa started 13 years ago at Seawind Elementary School. Mellisa and I worked together on the PTA. Her love of helping children started way before she was a teacher.
There have been many weekends when I would be visiting with her and she would be preparing and planning for the week with her students. She is always thinking of fresh new ideas to encourage and excite her students about learning.
I have personally seen the enthusiasm that she has for teaching while being in her classroom helping with a holiday project for the parents. The kids absolutely adore Melissa and she treats each and everyone of them like they are part of her family. She goes above and beyond to make learning interesting and fun. Just this past weekend she shared how excited she was to buy two new reading chairs for her classroom.
There is no one more deserving of this Life Changer award than Melissa Cowen. I am blessed to have her as a friend and her students are very lucky to have an AMAZING teacher that truly cares about their education and well being.
Melissa Cowen is a wonderful teacher. She is always looking to help her students become better readers, writers, and mathematicians. She goes above and beyond to care for them. Melissa is always organized and well-prepared. She is a teacher who gives her students many opportunities for hands-on learning and great computer skills. Melissa is a well liked and respected teacher, friend and colleague.
Mrs. Cowen is an amazing teacher who puts 100% into her teaching every day. We are very thankful to have her at Pinewood Elementary School
http://x-default-stgec.uplynk.com/ausw/slices/19b/2fbf8a5e953e4a01960f2f5161cc4953/19bf35995f3044e6b8c8f78136df73d1/19bf35995f3044e6b8c8f78136df73d1_g.mp4
Here is the link to the news story they did on this incredible woman. She is a LifeChanger.
Where do I even begin. Mrs. Cowen is one of the most caring teachers I have come across. She truly LOVES her students and cares about their own personal success. She turned a very trying school year into the best year we have had thus far. She goes above and beyond and it shows with this nomination. As a parent, Mrs. Cowen is the kind of teacher you hope for!! She DESERVES this!!!
We found our hearts warmly touched as we read about Graci's "life changer" experience. We were not surprised to find that Melissa, our daughter-in-law, was at the heart of the experience. Melissa is dedicated and passionate about her endeavors. She expends the energy and the heart to be the best first grade teacher that she can possibly be. And in our opinion, she exceeds all expectations. But what we have noticed that lifts Melissa to another level is her heart felt compassion for her students. To Melissa each child is a life to be touched with gentle encouraging support and guidance. A learning foundation needs to be put in place, but the child's spirit and self-worth most be nurtured and developed too. Melissa's caring and teaching are so integrated that they flow as one touching her students and bringing about life changes. We are very proud of our daughter-in-law and so very happy for the students in her class. Well done, good and faithful servant.
I had the chance to help Melissa do some end of the year prep. She showed amazing kindness and patience with each and every student. You could see that it was a classroom built on mutual respect and compassion!
As I was getting ready to write my own comment, I scrolled through all of these other ones and I am in even more awe of this incredible woman who I get to call- my mom. She sacrifices her time & energy for her students and genuinely cares about each one of them. I currently work at PineWood’s extended day program and I’ve learned so much about working with kids, from her. She is so dedicated to making sure every child feels seen, heard & cared about. She cares so much about their education and doing all she can to help them learn; but even more so, she cares about these kids as if they are her own. She cares about their confidence and their growth in not only academics, but as a young person growing up and learning about life. She is determined to do all she can do to make a safe and high quality classroom environment and support her students in any way she can to better help them succeed. We bond over the stories of our kids at school and every time I hear one of the kids talking about how much they love her, I remember how blessed I am to call her mom. She without a doubt deserves this award; she doesn’t do what she does for recognition but goes above and beyond simply because she wants to be the best she can be and provide the best learning environment for her students that she possibly can. I am so amazed by and proud of her. She is a “LifeChanger” and will continue to change lives, each student at a time.
Congrats Melissa on receiving this nomination! It is so well deserved! What a true honor it is to be recognized for all that you do for your students.
When I was in 1st grade she taught me sooo much she was the best teacher I'd had so far.She was a great teacher and really deserves this award. Colton Snyder /10 years old
Mrs. Cowen is a fantastic teacher who always advocates for her students. She always puts her whole self into her planning and teaching. Pinewood is blessed to have such a dedicated, caring teacher!
Ms. Cowen is very deserving of this. My child was very happy in her class.
Congratulations to Mrs. Cowen on this incredible nomination. She is a wonderful asset to Pinewood and the students of Pinewood. I am so happy the GraciLyn has a wonderful teacher to help her find a love of not only reading but if learning.
Melissa is a warm, caring, kind, genuine person with solid values and I am blessed to be getting to know her.
It has been a pleasure and a privilege to work with Melissa over the last four years! In our work together I have always found her to be open to whatever needed to be done to make sure her students were successful. Melissa is dedicated to reaching all of her students and works hard to make sure not only her students but those on the first grade team receive rigorous but differentiated instruction that meets the needs of all students. She is a champion in supporting students and their families as she sees the home-school connection as a critical part of student success. Melissa is kind, generous and her classroom community is a welcoming place to be. I have enjoyed events Melissa has given where students' invited their parents to see performances or celebrations of success. She has been an outstanding grade chair for the first grade team because of her leadership qualities. Melissa participates in the teacher mentor program, supports PTA events and is ready to be where she is needed at any time. I can say without a doubt she has been a "LifeChanger" for me and I know she has been a "LifeChanger" for many others beyond her classroom doors!
Mrs Cowen is a teacher I’ve had the pleasure of meeting the first year of being a Pinewood Elementary parent. Unfortunately that year we had small numbers and her students were distributed into other classrooms. My son was one of those students. For the few weeks we spent with her, I found her to be extremely professional, considerate, kind and aware of my son’s needs. She never hesitated to meet with me under any circumstance. Very willing to offer suggestions to help, she modeled methods for us to try. I was extremely sad to leave her and I remembered feeling a strong bond develop over the few weeks we spent with her. I’ve enjoyed participating in events with her... even though smal she has left a warm and wonderful impression in my mind. I cannot imagine what it would have been like to have her for a gull year. She is definitely worthy of this award and my family supports this nomination. Good luck Mrs Cowen.
This is so great. I’m so happy for Gracilyn and how she has learned to love reading.
My son had her and he was so excited to go to school each and everyday! She was and still is a fantastic teacher and I am so lucky my son had her for his first grade teacher as well! Thank you for nominating her for this award! She deserves it!
Melissa is the best! Always so supportive and encouraging. She lifts others up when they are down.
I had the privilege of working at Pinewood Elementary and seeing first hand how wonderful of a teacher Melissa is. She always went above and beyond for her students and made sure they were excelling. The students and staff at Pinewood are so incredibly lucky to have her!
Melissa is a passionate and dedicated professional always open to new opportunities for growth. I have had the pleasure of working with Melissa for many years.
Mrs. Cowen is a wonderful teacher and team leader. I am very happy to see she has been nominated for this award,- it's well deserved!
Mrs. Cowen is such a huge motivator and positive impact on all of her children.
Mrs. Crown is a fantastic teacher and mentor.
I think its so important in this day that our children enjoy and look forward to going to school. Its teachers like Ms Cowen that makes this happen. One of her students, my granddaughter really had no interest and it was a struggle. I will say that Ms Cowen made such a difference. Her whole addtitude changed. She actually looks forward to school. She loves reading now more than ever.
Pinewood is a terrific school an has many, many great teaches that go above and beyond. Ms. Cowen is one of many.
I am GraciLyn's father and while I do not spend nearly as much time at Pinewood as my wife does, I know exactly how amazing Mrs.Cowen is. No matter how late I would get home from work Graci would wait up for me to tell me how awesome her day was or something new she learned. I am a firm believer that all teachers are amazing people- BUT Mrs. Cowen is just extra special. I am forever grateful for her!!!
I have had the honor to call Melissa my friend for 4 years now. She is a patient listener, confidante, and endless source of wisdom and understanding. I am truly blessed to have a friend like Melissa. She is a highly skilled educator, and above all an extremely caring and generous role model for her students. Melissa always goes the extra mile to ensure her students are given the best education. Her students are truly blessed to have such an inspirational, motivating teacher in their lives!
Melissa is a teacher 24/7, twelve months of the year. She never stops doing "school work" in the evenings and weekends, whether that is grading papers, preparing lesson plans, or figuring out some "new" way to teach her students. Even during the summer while I am visiting (I am her sister), she has us preparing signs, letters, numbers, etc. for her classroom for the next school year. This is the same dedication and determination she put into her own education. During college I saw all the notes and research she put into her classwork and the hours she spent on her art projects (she double majored in Art and Psychology). Sometimes she had highlighted so many things on a text book page, that I wondered why she bothered (we are a year apart and went to the same college so I saw this first hand). Melissa had medical issues with her legs as a child which limited her physical activities a bit and was a source of "teasing" from other students which didn't make school a very fun placed for her to be. She had corrective surgery after her High School Junior year, and due to the resulting full leg casts and setbacks due to complications, she ended up doing her entire Senior Year of High School from home. Even with all the pain she was in and the "extra" work this took, she STILL managed to get all A's and B's, including in Physics. She was determined to walk under her own power across that stage at graduation and she did. To say I have been in awe of her ever since is an understatement. I believe that everything she went through as a child and young adult gives her a special bond with her students and brings out her determination to get them the help they need to succeed so that they have a better experience in school than she did. In my opinion, any student who gets her as a teacher is extremely lucky and will be much better prepared for life.
As Melissa's parents, we have seen first hand how dedicated she is to her profession and her students. She spends more time, energy, and money preparing for her classes than we could ever imagine. We have helped her cut out color-coded word flash cards for each of her students during visits to her home in the summer. We have helped her set up her classroom during the weeks before school starts in August. She puts more time and effort into providing her students with a classroom that is welcoming and fun to learn in than one could ever believe. We see first-hand how much she cares for each and every one of her students, and how determined she is to see that each one succeeds in her class and in life. When we talk on the phone with her in the evening or on weekends, she is invariably working on something for her class. We are very proud of her and her achievements.
I know Melissa through church and I can see her caring ways and patient personality in just a group setting .. she is welcoming and happy to bring and welcome more ! Just a well rounded person with a caring heart
I have the pleasure and honor of working with Melissa at PWE. Her DEDICATION to her students, parents, work family, and her own family can’t be described in this little comment box. Her passion and love for what she does each and every day just shines through. Melissa also loves to volunteer her time for organizations like the Martin County Education Foundation. Melissa is so deserving of this nomination.
I know from firsthand experience just how hard Melissa works for her 1st grade class at Pinewood Elementary. I know this because I'm her husband.
Since Melissa entered full time teaching over 8 years ago, I've only seen her dedication to her profession, and her kids, grow and grow. From acting as the team leader for her grade at Pinewood, volunteering at various county, community and school events, to treating each child as though they were her only priority, I know just how deeply Melissa cares about every aspect of her profession.
As she sacrifices her personal time into the evening hours and weekends, I sometimes find myself thinking, "does everybody work this hard after the school day ends?" Well, I don't know know about everybody else, but I certainly know Melissa does!
Without question, Melissa's dedication has helped many children to push beyond what may have been "expected" of them, as she helps lay down a foundation of confidence they'll carry forward into the rest of their lives.
I'd like to personally thank Ms. Raines for sharing GraciLyn's story. I'm quite confident there are many more out there that Melissa will never get to hear, but this is certainly one she will never forget.
Thank you.
I have known Melissa for over 10 years as a neighbor and friend. Melissa works tirelessly to give her students the best education. She is passionate about her students and sacrifices her personal time to help them excel. She is every parent’s dream for a first grade teacher. Her students are blessed to have her and they will reflect fondly the memories of their first grade experience.
This is how Melissa works.
She has a knack for seeing what needs to be done and finds a way to do it.
I am somewhat biased as she is my nephew's wife.
I've seen this work with her own children. She has also passed this gift on to her daughter Amber.
It is quite lovely to see.
Melissa is so deserving of this nomination. Her dedication to creating a classroom of life- time learners who feel safe and cared for is evident.
