LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Manifa Shabandari was nominated by a family member, Karemn Hayrapetian. 

Ms. Shabandari has impacted many lives during her 16 years with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). She started working with LAUSD at 18 as a teacher assistant and spent about seven years as an English as a second language teacher. She managed to change so many lives by being caring.  Students respect her because she is doing her best to teach the kids what is important in life: to think for the future, be someone who changes others' lives, be a good citizen, and care for others. She also teaches them to change the world for the better. Her joyful and caring personality not only brings joy to her family but also to the community.

"As her mom, I am proud of her for accomplishing her dream. She graduated from Verdugo Hills High School, and her dream was to teach there and give back to the community where she grew up. She got the chance to be part of that big dream, and now I can proudly say that she did it for me and the whole community," said Hayrapetian.

She worked at Mountain View Elementary School, Sunland Elementary, and Granada Hills High School, and now she is home at Verdugo Hills High School. She has changed many lives by teaching her students to speak English and what's important in life. It is hard growing up in an immigrant family where your parents do not know the language and help these students learn English. Ms. Shabandari is the first person in her family to graduate from college with a master's degree and also grew up with a single parent. She did it all by herself, worked hard, and managed to be a good teacher and friend; most importantly, she was a good citizen of the community.