LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Mauricio Leal was nominated by an anonymous colleague.

Mr. Leal is a LifeChanger because of his hard work and dedication to teaching students in East LA. His class is demanding, and he expects his students to be the best students on campus.  What they learn to realize as time goes by, he is doing this to prepare them for education beyond high school.  

"Sitting in his class, I would hear the complaints about how strict and hard the class was from my peers.  I'm not going to lie, I was guilty of that too," said a student. "As we continue through the academic year, we realize that it is tough love he is demonstrating to us, and that it is the best way he can prepare us for a college education. I know of many students who are very appreciative to have been his students.  They say that his class and his teaching style was the best preparation for a college life.  I have also heard from others who dropped his class and regret it when they get to college, because they feel that their peers are better prepared."

Mr. Leal is like a dedicated father and mentor to his students. He pushes them to reach limits they didn't think they could reach and has been the reason many of them are successful in college.