LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Susannah Wagner was nominated anonymously.

Ms. Wagner creates an environment that is welcoming to everyone by leading her students with an ensemble mindset. In the theatre classroom, it's not just the leads that make a show. Theatre is great because it allows students to participate in so many different ways, from crew positions like stage management and costumes, to acting, to choreographing, to directing.

She's built daily sharing time into all of her classes, allowing each student to talk with her one-on-one every class. She's set her room up to be as flexible as possible to accommodate the many demands of theatre in a standard-size classroom. She and her students do everything as a team and celebrate every victory, because the success of one means the success of them all. They spend a ton of time focusing on how theatre impacts the world around them to find common ground and gain new perspectives about the stories they all share!

Students who enjoy her theatre class are welcome to join their after-school theatre club, which she runs three days a week. They do four shows a year, and they are entirely student-run! This year, her hard work paid off, as they set new records for audience attendance, student participation, and the number of graduating seniors pursuing theatre degrees. She invests everything she has into these kids and this program, and she believes that when students see her passion, their passion will grow as well.

The students need craft and building supplies to make the sets, props, and costumes that they need for their shows. They are exceptionally thrifty, but they go through cleaning supplies, paints, hot glue sticks, and sewing supplies like you would not believe. Students help source items second-hand, and they do a fantastic job with cardboard! No matter how tough it can get, she firmly believes that her students deserve to have the things they need to grow their confidence on their theatrical journey.

Career Accomplishments:

• 2024-25: LifeChanger of the Year Nominee
• 2025: Beginning Teacher Program Graduate, East Carolina Teaching Licensure Graduate