LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Sarah Largent was nominated anonymously.

In Ms. Largent's classroom, creating a positive environment starts with building genuine relationships. She makes it a priority for her students to know her not just as their teacher, but as a person with her own interests, challenges, and stories. When Ms. Largent shares pieces of her life, it opens the door for her students to do the same, allowing them to get to know one another on a deeper level.

She and her students build their classroom culture around mutual respect, empathy, and trust. Ms. Largent works to learn who her students are beyond academics—their personalities, strengths, and passions—so she can connect learning to what matters to them. They set clear expectations together, celebrate each other's successes, and create space where mistakes are seen as part of the learning process. 

This human connection transforms their classroom into a community. Her students feel seen and valued, and in return, they're more willing to take risks, collaborate, and support one another. It's in this safe, supportive environment that real growth—both academic and personal—happens.

Ms. Largent shares her knowledge in multiple ways, such as:

• Developing and leading over 10 professional development workshops to support fellow educators in curriculum design, assessment strategies, and differentiated instruction;
• Leading standardized instructional processes that improved curriculum consistency, pacing, and student performance across grade levels, and;
• Managing instructional planning, assessment design, and data tracking for 100+ students annually, using results to tailor instruction for diverse learning needs.

One of Ms. Largent's most pressing classroom needs is to enhance the enrichment opportunities she can offer during her school's intervention time, known as "Power Hour." While some students use this time for targeted academic support, her room is intentionally designed for the opposite purpose—to push and challenge students who are already meeting grade-level expectations and are ready for something more. During Power Hour, Ms. Largent aims to provide students with experiences that stretch their thinking, connect learning to the real world, and allow them to see the impact they can make in their community.

Last year, for example, the students applied math concepts they hadn't formally learned yet—such as measurement conversions, multi-step problem solving, and budgeting—to plan, create, and donate dog blankets, treats, and bandanas to a local animal shelter. The shelter even brought puppies to thank the students, which made the experience unforgettable and deeply meaningful.