LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Minerva Macedo was nominated by LaVonne Valcin, a member of the community.

Ms. Macedo exemplifies the characteristics of a genuine LifeChanger in the lives of her students and their families. She began her teaching career in 1986.  Ms. Macedo creates a learner-centered environment in her classroom, where her students are the main actors of their own learning as they collaborate with her on planning the content and with their peers in a true learning community. When teaching, she models for her students how to think and problem-solve independently and how to collaboratively problem-solve with their peers.  As a bilingual teacher, Ms. Macedo understands the importance of her students being able to succeed in both English and Spanish, so she has made second language acquisition a top priority for her students.

Ms. Macedo's teaching style and sense of innovation allow her to make learning relevant and challenging for her students, positioning them to take learning beyond the walls of the school.  Her investment of time into the lives of her students allows her to establish authentic rapport with her students and their families.  She builds positive working relationships with families, which creates a foundation of support for her students’ academic, social and emotional growth and development.  Professionally, Ms. Macedo is a true team player and a collaborative thinker whose knowledge and skills make her an asset to her colleagues as well as to her students and their parents.  She approaches daily work with contagious enthusiasm and an attitude of continuous self-improvement and excellence.