LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Victoria Flanders was nominated anonymously.

Ms. Flanders creates a positive classroom environment by building a sense of community where all students feel safe, respected, and supported. She sets clear expectations, fosters open communication, and encourages each student to recognize and develop their strengths. In her Intro to Entrepreneurship class for students with disabilities, she uses inclusive, hands-on learning strategies that promote collaboration and creativity.

Ms. Flanders gives students opportunities to make choices and express their ideas, helping them feel ownership of their learning. She also models empathy, patience, and enthusiasm to create a space where students feel confident to take risks, solve problems, and grow together.

As Ms. Flanders prepares to teach a brand new Intro to Entrepreneurship for the first time, one of her most pressing classroom needs is access to hands-on materials and resources that make business concepts real and engaging for her students with disabilities. Many of her students learn best through visual supports, tactile tools, and real-life simulations. Ms. Flanders would like to purchase supplies such as workbooks with simplified business plan templates, calculators, visual budgeting tools, and basic materials for small business projects (e.g., crafts, packaging, labeling supplies).

She also hopes to bring in guest speakers and plan a field trip to a local business so students can see entrepreneurship in action. These experiences would help students connect classroom learning to the real world, boosting their confidence, communication, and job-readiness skills. 

As an educator, Ms. Flanders feels that her most significant accomplishments have come from creating meaningful, inclusive learning experiences for students with disabilities. She has helped design and implement transition-focused programs that prepare students for life after high school, including employment, independent living, and self-advocacy. She has collaborated with colleagues and community partners to support student work-based learning opportunities and adapted curriculum materials to meet a wide range of learning needs.