LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Donna Schafer was nominated by Julie Rhine, a parent of a student.

"Mrs. Schafer is, above all, caring, creative, and deeply connected. To understand why she's a LifeChanger, you need to know my son, Zachary. He has severe ADHD and has always struggled with reading and writing. Getting him to school each day felt like an uphill battle. Every subject came with frustration, and he often felt defeated, angry, and indifferent. After a tough third-grade year, we were encouraged to switch schools, and that's when Zachary met Mrs. Schafer," said Rhine.

"From day one, she saw him not just as another student, but as Zachary. She met him where he was. Instead of focusing on what he couldn't do, she celebrated what he could. On papers that many would consider below average, she would write encouraging notes like, 'This is your best handwriting yet'—and include smiley faces. She recognized that, although he struggled with motor skills, he had other strengths, such as spelling and verbal communication. Every day, she pointed out how he was "shining," and for the first time, my son began to believe that he was smart and capable," said Rhine.

"There was a shift and a skip in his step as he bounced into the car after school, excited to tell me about what he'd learned. Then came the assignment that amazed me most: students were to research a local business and write a report. One day, he disappeared into his room for four hours. He wasn't in trouble; he was doing research. Homework. On his own. This was unheard of. And not only did he research, he wrote the paper, made a poster, and did it all independently," said Rhine.

"This transformation was entirely because of Mrs. Schafer. She inspired him. She empowered him. She helped him believe in himself. Later, he even used that experience to create his business model for another assignment, then sold his product at a school-wide marketplace that she helped organize," said Rhine.

"Mrs. Schafer sees effort, not just results. When Zachary turned in that first big report, it wasn't the best in the class. But she recognized his growth, praised his entrepreneurial spirit, and gave him 100% not because it was perfect, but because it was a personal victory. That kind of recognition changed everything," said Rhine.

"By the end of the year, Zachary's report card held mostly A's and B's and just one C. That's nothing short of a miracle for my son. It wasn't just that school got easier; it became joyful," said Rhine.

"Mrs. Schafer is the kind of teacher who makes every student feel like the most special kid in the class. She doesn't ask for recognition. She works tirelessly, with quiet commitment and a boundless heart, believing that she can change the world by changing a child's life. She changed mine. And more importantly, she changed Zachary's," said Rhine.