LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

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Mary Anne Arabia

Position: Elementary School Teacher
School: Anne & William Hedenkamp School
School District: Chula Vista Elementary School District
City, State: Chula Vista, CA

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Mary Anne Arabia was nominated by Christian Galvan.

"I am honored to nominate Mary Anne Arabia, an exceptional elementary school teacher at Anne & William Hedenkamp Elementary School in the Chula Vista Elementary School District," said Galvan.

"My encounter with Ms. Arabia on October 9th was truly unforgettable. She shared a powerful story that exemplifies her strength, passion, and selflessness as an educator. She recounted how her deep connection to her alma mater inspired one of her students to pursue higher education at the same university. The pride and legacy she instilled in that student is a testament to her profound impact on the lives of those she teaches," said Galvan.

"Beyond that, I was moved by the outpouring of gratitude from former students—now adults with children of their own—who expressed their joy that their children would have the privilege of learning from Ms. Arabia. This gratitude speaks volumes about her dedication; she has shaped young minds for over 33 years. Her unwavering passion and commitment to education extend far beyond the classroom, making a lasting difference in the lives of countless students and their families," said Galvan.

"It is with great admiration that I nominate Mary Anne Arabia for this recognition. Her lifelong devotion to teaching, ability to inspire generations, and selfless commitment to her students make her more than deserving of this honor," said Galvan.

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Comments (3)

Naomi Posted 6 months ago

Ms.Arabia was my 5th grade teacher and she helped me with everything possible. Ms.Arabia also loved horses like me and it made me finally feel like I had a best friend with lots of similarities. She made me and my classmates me like a detective to find her age.

Lori Posted 6 months ago

MaryAnne Arabia has been a wonderful influence in my daughter's life. She has helped her transition to hedenkamp from a cross country move empowering her to embrace her new environment. She has shown wise leadership and support to my 5th grader. She is involved in the decisions and running of the school along with the classroom. She has also given me an opportunity to help serve with her.

Martha Posted 9 months ago

As a former student of MaryAnn, it would be an understatement to say just how big an impact she’s had on my life. The Lessons of treating everyone with respect and kindness, having good manners by saying “please” and “thank you”, self-worth and believing that you can be anyone and that nothing is impossible, have stayed with me even to this day- 15 years later. Mary Ann not only taught us about the typical subjects in school but tried exposing us to new advances in science and technology by reading us science magazines and having conversations about where we thought these advances would take us. She made a significant effort to make us more open-minded, broaden our perspectives and make us more curious about everything she taught us in class. There was one instance in which she taught math by exposing us to ways it might be taught in different parts of the world which even for a 4th grader, thought was the coolest thing ever. I’ll always remember the ways in which she tried to pump us up for the CSTs by giving us daily affirmations herself and with the help of Sesame Street videos, always installing in us that we should always try to do our best in everything that we do and that we are all smart, helpful, brave and special. Not to mention that “that there is nothing I can’t achieve cause in myself I believe”. It’s these lessons and all the amazing stories she told us of her experience at university that motivated me since then to want to attend the same university as MaryAnn to be as awesome as she is, UC San Diego. And it came true… Mary Ann not only guided me through school but also helped me find the light during difficult periods of my life during elementary school. Her support and guidance extended beyond the classroom, reminding me that I wasn’t alone and that I had the strength to keep going. I truly believe that everyone deserves to experience the guidance of a teacher like MaryAnn. She sets the standard for what it means to be an educator- not just teaching lessons, but inspiring confidence, kindness and resilience. I can’t imagine anyone else deserving the Life changer of the Year Award.