LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Stephanie McLean was nominated anonymously.

Ms. McLean creates a positive classroom environment by grounding relationships and rigor in the same foundation: practice with purpose. Because her students loop with her across grade levels, she builds lasting trust and a strong sense of classroom community that carries forward year to year. She draws heavily on experiential and hands-on learning, giving students authentic reasons to collaborate, take appropriate risks, and support one another outside of a traditional desk-and-worksheet setting. This same philosophy shapes how she approaches regulation and focus throughout the school day: rather than relying on screens to give students a mental reset, she wants to offer physical, sensory-based brain breaks that let students move, breathe, and reset their attention using tangible tools.