LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Hannah Sternberg was nominated by multiple students.

"I went to a private middle and elementary school, and switching to a new school my freshman year with no friends was scary," said one student. "I was overwhelmed by the size of Kettle Moraine High School and had been late to almost every class the first day. It was the fourth hour, and I barely made it in time as I walked into my orchestra class. I was exhausted from a long day and just wanted to go home and cry. 'Hey! Come on in and take a seat anywhere!' I looked around for the owner of this voice, and then I saw her, Ms. Sternberg. She had the biggest smile and seemed so happy to teach us. Ms. Sternberg spent the first class telling us about herself. She told us about her love of SpongeBob and all things classical music. She told us jokes and made us feel comfortable. All the anxiety I had been holding onto that day disappeared, and when the bell rang, I was sad I had to leave." 

"From then on, my orchestra room felt like a place I could be myself. I could struggle and be challenged or step up and grow. Ms. Sternberg helped me grow and greatly pushed me out of my comfort zone during my freshman year. She had me become a leader in the orchestra; with this role, I had to be confident in my playing and be able to help others. She gave me challenges but always believed in me, and knowing she believed in me made these challenges easier to overcome. Ms. Sternberg has become one of my favorite teachers and will be for my whole life. She has helped me so much these years, and I cannot wait for my next class with her each week," said the student.