LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Josephine Gabriel was nominated anonymously.

Ms. Gabriel is a passionate 6th-grade English Language Arts teacher at Canarelli Middle School. She fosters a positive classroom environment by leading with empathy, learning about her students' stories, honoring their diverse backgrounds, and ensuring that every voice is heard and valued. Her goal is to help students feel safe, inspired, and proud of who they are, knowing that when they feel valued, they thrive both academically and personally.

She would like her classroom to include diverse middle-grade novels, whiteboard clipboards, and wobble stools for flexible seating. Many of her students are English language learners or come from multicultural backgrounds, and books like "Front Desk" by Kelly Yang and "New Kid" by Jerry Craft help students see themselves reflected in the stories they read. Whiteboard clipboards support interactive learning, and wobble stools provide sensory-friendly seating that improves focus and comfort. 

Before her current role, Ms. Gabriel served as a reading coordinator, where she launched a school-wide reading program and created a cozy reading nook to encourage a love for books. While teaching in Bullhead, she successfully advocated for flexible seating to better support students with ADHD, demonstrating her belief that small changes can lead to significant outcomes in student learning and engagement.