LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Sergio De Rozas Barrio was nominated anonymously. 

From the very first day, Mr. De Rozas Barrio prioritizes establishing a strong and trusting rapport with his students by learning about their individual funds of knowledge: the unique experiences, cultures, and backgrounds they bring to the classroom. He incorporates these elements directly into his lessons to make learning relevant and motivating, ensuring every student feels valued, seen, and heard. To deepen this connection, Mr. De Rozas Barrio conducts home-to-home visits, which allow him to understand the family and community context of each student. This insight helps him tailor his instruction and support to their specific needs.

Mr. De Rozas Barrio is always present and approachable, committed to students' academic growth and emotional well-being. He uses positive reinforcement consistently to encourage effort, progress, and a growth mindset. Moreover, he integrates gamification elements into his teaching to increase student engagement and motivation. By making learning interactive and rewarding, Mr. De Rozas Barrio fosters an energetic and supportive classroom culture where students are eager to participate and take ownership of their learning journey.

Mr. De Rozas Barrio has an extensive list of awards and accomplishments for his teaching, including:

• 2025–2026 Ambassador for DTR, a program within the TEI Training and Calibration (T&C) team;
• Recipient of the 2025 Dallas Education Foundation (DEF) Heart of Teaching Grant: Elevating Extracurricular Excellence!;
• Recipient of 2024 The Kemper Foundation's Read Conmigo Bilingual Educator Grant Program;
• Honored as Unstoppable Teacher by the Kimball Vertical Feeder Pattern for Outstanding Reading Practices for both 2024 & 2023;
• 2023 Teacher of the Year at L.O. Donald Leadership Academy;
• Designated 2022 State of Texas Exemplary Teacher, and;
• Awarded a scholarship in 2022 to complete a Master’s degree in Special Education and STEM at Southern Methodist University (SMU).

Mr. De Rozas Barrio will never forget the moment one of his fifth graders connected a simple circuit for the first time and saw the tiny light bulb glow. Her face lit up just as brightly, not just because of the light, but because she realized she had the power to make something work with her own hands. Moments like this show Mr. De Rozas Barrio how much potential his students have when they are given the right tools to explore, experiment, and create.