LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

"Mrs. Frazier wears many hats. Although her track record as a leader who serves many roles at our school is phenomenal, when I say hats, I mean literal hats! She has a hat for every story she reads that matches the character or storyline of the book she uses for her lessons each day. The students love it, and so do the teachers who pass by her open windows on their strolls down the hallway.

 

Once Mrs. Frazier arrived at our school, my assumptions of what a librarian does completely changed. I have never met or seen a librarian who puts so much passion, love, dedication, and work into a school, community, and their students as I have seen with Mrs. Frazier," said Denson.

 

As a librarian, Mrs. Frazier excels in advocacy, leadership, community outreach, and mentorship. She is involved inside and outside of school and in the city of Memphis, Tennessee. She does tremendous work for students in the school building. Everything she does is for the students. Mrs. Frazier is a strong advocate for students and their reading abilities. She includes student choice in reading to build on their curiosity and imagination. She ensures all 700+ students have their own library cards by partnering with the Randolph Library. She also makes sure students' parents have the information they need. Literacy is at the forefront of Mrs. Frazier's purpose, and she works with all teachers to raise the school's literacy scores. She personally sets up individual AR accounts for each student for access to additional reading, intervention, and literacy programs.

 

Mrs. Frazier is also a community leader. She devotes her free time to being involved and always learning new things. She is actively involved in so many library and reading programs. She is a valued member of Between the Pages, which focuses on imagination, teamwork, and problem-solving for kids inside and outside of school. She is an ambassador for the wonderful author Alane Adams. She's also a strong leader at the Tennessee Association of School Librarians. She supports the after-school Library Club. She leads the Book Fair and the Book Blast program each year and is a member of Alpha Delta Kappa, a teacher organization where she does charity work in the community.

 

"You should see all the books she can provide for our students to build their home libraries! Her work is amazing. Mrs. Frazier may be an amazing librarian, teacher, advocate, and leader, but nothing compares to the work she puts in to serve our community. Community outreach is her talent, and I have never seen anything like it," said Denson.

 

The Book Fair is one of the school's best and largest events, and Mrs. Frazier brings in over 25 volunteers each year to run it. She works closely with the community to collect donations so students can buy books of their choosing. She coordinates Read for the Record and brings in University of Memphis athletes, as well as district and city leaders, to read to students that day. She is involved in Arise2Read, an organization of volunteers and advocates that visits the school twice a week to work with second-grade students on sight words, reading, comprehension, and other literacy skills. She coordinates with the East Memphis Chapter of the Rotary Club to put books in students' hands each year.

 

"We have learned fast that if you need community volunteers for anything, you reach out to Mrs. Frazier, because she will either get them for you or you will have the contact information to reach out yourself," Denson added.

 

She has been named Tennessee Association of School Librarians (TASL) Librarian of the Month, Memphis-Shelby County Schools District Librarian of the Month, and a presenter at the Tennessee Association of School Librarians Conference. Mrs. Frazier also demonstrates these accomplishments by mentoring students and the community. During the school year, she can be seen in the library mentoring college students as they volunteer to earn hours for the Hope Scholarship. She even mentors new school and public librarians in the area.

 

"Mrs. Frazier is, hands down, one of the best librarians I have ever seen and worked with. It is such a pleasure to be her co-worker and advocate for her. She does all of this and more without even hoping for recognition. For her, it is just who she is, plain and simple, a librarian. But Mrs. Frazier is more than just a librarian. She is a role model, an advocate, a leader, a community outreach coordinator, a mentor, and a friend. Because of who she is, this is why I think Mrs. Frazier at White Station Elementary not only deserves this nomination, but this award," Denson concluded.