LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Jolie Black was nominated anonymously.

At Foxfire Schools, Ms. Black has the privilege of teaching some of the most resilient and remarkable K–2 students you'll ever meet. Each morning, she greets her students by name, knowing that smile might be the first moment of warmth they experience that day. Many of her kids face significant challenges such as poverty, trauma, or unstable home lives. Once they walk into her classroom, they're in a place where they are safe, supported, and seen.

Her classroom is built on routines, compassion, and community. Ms. Black and her students start the day with morning meetings. She uses visual schedules and has calm spaces for big feelings. She has learned that structure and love go hand in hand when working with at-risk youth.

Ms. Black doesn't just teach reading and math—she teaches confidence, kindness, and trust. She celebrates small victories. She meets behavior with understanding, not punishment. When a student struggles, she asks, "What do they need from her?" instead of "What's wrong with them?"

For some of her students, she may be the most consistent adult in their lives, and she doesn't take that lightly. She shows up for them every day because she believes in who they are and who they can become. At Foxfire, she is not just building academic skills, but helping kids believe in themselves. And that's the work that matters most.

As a K–2 teacher at Foxfire Schools, she works with some of the most resilient children she's ever met. Every single one of her students lives in poverty, and many come from unstructured home environments. They are being raised by single parents, grandparents, or are in foster care. They face trauma, instability, and emotional stress far beyond their years, yet they come to school every day, hopeful and eager to learn. Her classroom is often the one stable place in their lives. It's where they feel safe, seen, and supported.