LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

James Cooper was nominated by a colleague, Shelby Cox.

Mr. Cooper is more than a LifeChanger around his school - he is considered to be a “Warrior for Children.” He goes above and beyond to make sure every student is not only meeting the high standards within his classroom, but feels safe and welcomed each time they set foot through his door.

"Mr. Cooper changes the lives of students every day.  When a teachable moment happens within his classroom, he finds the time to address the situation using real life stories or events around our hometown or world," Cox said. "When students were asked to write letters about their favorite teacher, most of the letters were written for Mr. Cooper."

One student wrote: “Every time I walk into your classroom, my mood always lightens up, even on my very bad days of school.”

Another student wrote about how she had the best year since Mr. Cooper opened her world to reading.

Mr. Cooper is considered a leader at school.

"If you need a helping hand, someone to talk to, extra cross-curricular resources, or ideas about lessons that are more engaging, then Mr. Cooper is the one to go to," Cox said. 

Mr. Cooper may hold high standards for his students, but he also has high standards for himself. He has obtained his Masters Degree in Education and has completed his National Boards to become a National Board Certified teacher. He also won his school's Teacher of the Year Award in 2017-2018.