LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Jasmine Ake was nominated anonymously.

Creating a positive classroom environment begins with ensuring every student knows they belong. As a special education teacher, Ms. Ake intentionally builds a classroom culture in which students feel safe taking risks, celebrating their successes, and learning from their challenges. She establishes consistent routines, has clear expectations, and fosters respectful relationships so students can focus on learning with confidence.

Ms. Ake believes that every learner deserves access to meaningful opportunities. She incorporates sensory-friendly strategies, flexible seating, movement breaks, calming spaces, and hands-on learning experiences to meet the diverse needs of her students. By recognizing and responding to each student's individual strengths and needs, Ms. Ake helps reduce barriers to learning while promoting independence and self-regulation.

Positive relationships are at the heart of her classroom. She encourages collaboration, peer support, and student leadership by celebrating individual growth rather than comparison. Students are given opportunities to make choices, advocate for themselves, and showcase their talents through classroom activities and school events. She also values strong partnerships with families and believes that inviting parents to participate in classroom experiences strengthens the connection between home and school while creating a supportive community around every child.

Her commitment to creating inclusive learning environments extends beyond her own classroom. As a professional development presenter for the North Carolina Council for Exceptional Children (NC CEC) and the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), she shares evidence-based strategies with fellow educators on incorporating sensory supports and inclusive practices that improve student engagement and learning outcomes. Presenting at state conferences has allowed Ms. Ake to collaborate with educators across the country while continuing to refine and implement innovative practices that directly benefit her students. In addition to presenting professionally, she serves as a member of Cumberland County Schools' STAC, an Altruismo House Leader, and SIT Secretary, advocating for equitable opportunities and supporting initiatives that strengthen school communities. These leadership roles reinforce her commitment to fostering classrooms where diversity is celebrated, every student feels valued, and all learners have the tools they need to succeed.

Ms. Ake's goal is for every student to walk into her classroom knowing they are seen, respected, and capable of success. When students feel safe, supported, and empowered, they are more willing to engage, persevere through challenges, build meaningful relationships, and develop the confidence they need to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Her students thrive when learning is hands-on, meaningful, and connected to real-life experiences.

As a special education teacher, she works with many students who need explicit instruction in communication, social interaction, executive functioning, daily living skills, and vocational readiness. While they make tremendous academic progress, they often have limited opportunities to practice these essential life skills in authentic settings. One of her biggest goals this year is to launch the Bear Cub Café. In this student-run coffee cart, her Exceptional Children (EC) students will prepare coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and individually packaged pastries for delivery to teachers and staff once a week.

This initiative is much more than serving coffee—it is a classroom-based vocational training program that teaches students skills they will use throughout their lives. Students will rotate through meaningful job roles including taking orders, preparing drinks, organizing supplies, delivering orders throughout the school, greeting customers, practicing workplace etiquette, and communicating professionally with adults. These experiences will strengthen social communication, teamwork, problem-solving, self-confidence, independence, and employability skills while helping students generalize what they learn in the classroom to real-world situations. 

As a professional development presenter for the North Carolina Council for Exceptional Children (NC CEC) and the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), Ms. Ake continually seeks innovative, evidence-based strategies that promote inclusive learning and student success. The Bear Cub Café reflects that commitment by creating an authentic learning environment where students can practice communication, collaboration, responsibility, and independence every week.