LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Jay Hopfensperger, also known as "Mr. H," was nominated by his principal, Connie Adams.

"What better way than to have a student/parent say how this teacher has helped? Here is a prime example of what our parents say about Mr. H," said Adams.

"Hello, Mr. Hopfensperger. I just wanted to thank you for helping my child yesterday, as they were very frustrated with linear equations. I could barely mention them to them without them groaning in displeasure at my attempts to help. I'm afraid math is not my strong subject. I sat and listened to you guys chat about what they did wrong and the small mistakes that ruined their problem. Never once did you sigh or go silent. Never once did you make her feel scared or anxious. You guys laughed and joked around, and you made her feel at ease in the process of learning. I don't know if you know just how much that means to a person, but it means a lot!! Some of us parents never had that kind of math teacher. We spent the only available 'help time' after school being rushed and talked down to, made to feel small in our efforts to master a skill we couldn't understand well. If you didn't get it, well then tough luck, and they moved on; you just never learned it. It made for a terrible year and honestly built a fear of math. There are some things I'm just learning right now because of my child and you! You're in the background cheering her on and helping me, too! To know your child won't grow up with that kind of crippling anxiety over a subject is a pretty freeing feeling. They don't break down in tears when they need to ask for help and have to contact you. They don't have to prepare themselves mentally. They just ask. My child said you'd probably say, 'Well, that's kinda my job,' but it's much more than that to me. You're helping two people get through math over here in our household, and it means a great deal," said a parent.