LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Amanda Pelfrey was nominated anonymously.

Ms. Pelfrey believes a positive learning environment isn't something you decorate on the walls; it’s something you build through consistent, daily trust. Her primary goal is to make the classroom feel like an extension of home—a place where students know exactly what to expect and feel safe expressing themselves. She achieves this through clear routines, open communication with families, and a heavy emphasis on mutual respect. True connection means seeing the whole child.

Ms. Pelfrey intentionally builds community by keeping a classroom snack cart fueled through parent donations and an Amazon wishlist, ensuring that no child ever tries to learn while hungry. She also runs a classroom where mistakes are treated as normal parts of learning, not sources of shame. By cultivating an environment where basic needs are met, families are partners, and students are explicitly told and shown that they are loved, her classroom becomes a sanctuary where kids want to show up, participate, and learn.