LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Samantha Drost was nominated anonymously.

Ms. Drost makes students feel welcome by greeting them at the door every day with a smile and calling them by name. She loves getting to know what they’re involved in, and she always checks in to see how things are going for them. She wants every student to feel seen, cared for, and excited to walk into the classroom, leading to a positive environment. She knows students can’t focus on learning if they’re hungry, so she always keep snacks on hand, using her own money, to make sure they have something to eat while they’re there. Her students also know they’re welcome to come by and grab a snack from the room between classes, because hunger doesn’t care about income. If you’re hungry, you’re hungry, and every student’s situation is different. She always makes sure they have what they need to get them through the rest of their classes, too. It’s one small way she tries to remove barriers so they can focus on what really matters: loving to learn and feeling loved.