LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Carissa Parrish was nominated anonymously.

Ms. Parrish holds a Doctor of Education in Educational Innovation. She strategically designs her room not to be a Pinterest-perfect classroom, but rather one tailored to the students she serves. She believes her classroom should be a place where students feel at peace, as they spend more time at school than at home.

Ms. Parrish believes it is her responsibility to ensure that students feel safe and included, while incorporating culture, diversity, and equity, and embracing every unique aspect of each child to create an effective classroom community. Knowing the diverse cultures represented within her class helps with instruction and fosters a positive classroom environment. Knowledge of different cultures enables her class to be more sensitive to what may negatively affect someone based on their cultural background. It is a collective effort, and Ms. Parrish and her students cultivate an environment where they do not want to leave. She ensures students know they are seen in every shape and form.

The most important part of teaching for Ms. Parrish is impacting youth. Students cannot be affected without a connection and relationship with the one trying to influence them. Teaching is not her job or career; it is her passion. Ms. Parrish is lucky to be able to work within her passion daily. She emphasizes this feeling daily because being an effective teacher requires more than just writing a lesson plan, and it doesn't end when she clocks out. Building relationships and creating a positive classroom environment make students' learning feasible.

Ms. Parrish has invested in her students not only academically, but also in all aspects of their lives. She attends their functions outside of school to ensure they know they have a support system. Ms. Parrish celebrates all victories for each child, because what they do is important and deserves to be celebrated. The youth deserve the best, and that is what Ms. Parrish is striving to give them daily and for years to come.

It is gratifying for Ms. Parrish to see the holistic growth her students make because, like a plant, they never stop growing if they are correctly cared for. Seeing her students grow will always be her ultimate goal, and that happens when they have a positive classroom to come to.

Ms. Parrish has many career accomplishments, including:

• 2022-2023 Diamond Lakes Elementary's Teacher of the Year;
• 2022-2023 model classroom for the district for classroom management;
• Selected to be a teacher mentor for four years;
• 2017-2018 Gold level Highest Growth in Reading;
• Completed Richmond County Board of Education's Future Leaders Program;
• Selected to write the curriculum for the district for both science and gifted education;
• Selected to be a part of the school-level leadership team for 8 years;
• Chosen to be the cluster leader for the gifted department; selected to participate in Richmond County's Board of Education's Aspiring Leaders Program;
• Received Richmond County Retired Educators Association's Award;
• Completed Gifted, STEM, and TSC endorsements.