LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Lorel Madden

Position: IB Coordinator
School: William H. Seward Communication Arts Academy
School District: Chicago Public Schools
City, State: Chicago, IL

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Music that Describes Lorel

Lorel Madden was nominated by her colleague, Marcella Martinez.

Ms. Madden has been a driving force in shaping the school's IB MYP program into a model of excellence, ensuring that it embodies all required elements with integrity and purpose. Her tireless efforts to align the program with the highest standards have created a learning environment where students are encouraged to inquire, think critically, and embrace global perspectives.

Daily, Ms. Madden demonstrates her commitment through her actions. Whether collaborating with teachers to refine interdisciplinary units, mentoring students to help them develop their community projects, or ensuring that the IB Learner Profile is at the heart of every classroom, she leads by example. Her open-door policy and warm demeanor make her a trusted resource for students and colleagues, fostering a culture of support and collaboration. Ms. Madden ensures that every student and staff member feels empowered, valued, and inspired through her unwavering commitment and daily actions.

"Her leadership has left an indelible mark on our school. We are extremely lucky to have her," said Martinez.

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Comments (8)

Ignacio Yepez Posted over a year ago

Lorel is an extraordinary individual who will go out of her way to help anyone. Anytime I have encountered any obstacles, she is readily available to help out in any way she can, and for that, I am incredibly grateful. Lorel is an excellent resource and knowledgeable person.

Tracy Heider Posted over a year ago

Congratulations, Ms. Madden.

Kristen 'Mac' Machczynski Posted over a year ago

Working with Lorel is a gift and I am grateful to have been her support person for last year's evaluation process in her IB school. Her students and the staff at Seward are beyond fortunate to have her as their coordinator, as well! She is a strong and compassionate person, thoughtful in her leadership and deliberate in her actions. She supports her students in the most authentic ways, encouraging them to use their voices in student/staff meetings to develop procedures and policies that are true to what they need and address how they need it changed in order to grow. Her creativity and dedication are unsurpassed, and she could not be a more appropriate candidate for this award. Thank you to Ms. Martinez for nominating such a worthy member of our Chicago Public Schools community, and to Ms. Madden for her awesomeness!! :)

Jose A Posted over a year ago

Ms. Madden is a kind, supportive, and a compassionate educator. She was my science teacher 30 years ago at Seward. God bless her for the patience she had with us back then. I remember how amazing she was at listening to us and challenging us to try and be our best. She had a very calming and understanding presence around us - qualities that are vital for educators in our barrio. Above all, she has a big, big heart. I remember during science project time, I chose to do a project studying the effects of pollution on plants. The deadline came to order the seeds and I didn't have the funds. She put up the funds and being the irresponsible 8th grader that I was, I never paid her back. I still owe you, Ms. Madden (plus 30 years of interest). More than anything, I owe you for helping lift us up and instilling the love of curiosity and learning in us (plus 30 years of interest, of course). Thank you for being you and for giving more than three decades of yourself to the barrio! Arriba, Ms. Madden!

Arianna Posted over a year ago

Ms. Madden was the best teacher I had. She will go that extra mile to help her students. "Class of 06"

Maria Posted over a year ago

I love Ms. Madden she is kind, thoughtful, creative, authentic, supportive, open to change, Mexican at heart ?? Congratulations. Continue to grow with us at Seward. Thank you for your support with the parent mentors and learning to communicate in Spanish. Thank you for teaching us the Hawaiian dance. I’m up for just about anything you bring to the table. Keep smiling it’s contagious ??

Rose Posted over a year ago

Lorel supports her students by going the extra mile. She finds out their interests and teaches using them to increase engagement.

Kare Ibarra Posted over a year ago

My favorite teacher ms madden i love her