LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Amy Riddle was nominated anonymously.

Ms. Riddle creates a positive classroom environment by ensuring students feel welcome, respected, and supported. She builds relationships with students, sets clear expectations, and encourages them to ask questions, take risks, and learn from mistakes. She also makes learning meaningful and hands-on. Students are often more confident and engaged when they can see a real purpose in what they are doing.

She leads Green Biz Kidz, the student sustainability club; Project F.L.O.W., the student-led Carson River water-quality monitoring program; and the school garden and hoop house program. These programs give students opportunities to work together, solve problems, and make decisions that have real, visible results. They may decide what to plant, design a project, collect environmental data, solve a garden problem, or create something that teaches others.

Ms. Riddle makes room for different strengths in the classroom. Some students enjoy writing and research, while others do better at building, designing, organizing, gardening, collecting data, or working as part of a team. Giving students different ways to contribute helps them feel included, capable, and proud of what they accomplish together. Most importantly, she wants her classroom to be a place where students feel safe being themselves, know their ideas matter, and understand that they can make a positive difference in their school and community.