LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Patrick Stinnett was nominated by a student.

"On the first day of freshman year at Kettle Moraine High School, it's a little cloudy outside, and I have no idea what to expect. Besides liking computers, I would describe myself as a girl who had no idea who she was. As I walked into the graphic design room, I was excited to see what I would work with: over 20 monitors on desks, two vinyl cutting machines, a giant printer, two heat presses, and a giant setup for screen printing. I had never touched these items before and was ready to start my graphic design career. I had no clue what to expect, and this is how I kick it off," said the student.

"As I walked further into the room, I saw my teacher, Mr. Stinnett. He was ready for the year, with a smile and the seating chart in the middle of the room. I looked down at the chart and noticed something. I was one of five girls in the class. I looked up at him with a sigh as he said, 'I know it's going to be a long but fun semester, so get ready!' With that, I put on my mental armor and got ready. He would always pause the class if someone had questions to ensure they were on the right track. He was okay with us working ahead as long as we stayed on track, but we were warned. With that sentence, I was practically soaring. I would play with all of Adobe's different tools and try to find shortcuts to what he was saying. The whole semester was like that, and it was perfect. He would add to my crazy designs and always encourage creativity within all of his students," said the student.

"When designing things, I would always be the student he would use for examples. He would even ask if I wanted to help with nearby activities, which he would typically ask his marketing team. It was so cold while I was at a Halloween trick-or-treating event in Delafield. He let me use a sweatshirt that we were supposed to be selling. That is one of the many examples that made me feel like an actual human being. Mr. Stinnett is always very interactive with us students," said the student. "This is why Mr. Stinnett is my favorite educator!"