LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Easter Huggins Anderson was nominated by her colleague, Melanie Fields.

As a young woman born to touch the lives of others, Mrs. Huggins Anderson is definitely using her gifts and talents to make others great.

"If I were to pick a creature to describe Easter, I would choose a butterfly because of its graceful movements and freedom to explore and beautify the habitat it's in," said Fields. "I met her in 2005 at the school we teach at. She was a first, second, and now third grade teacher. Walk into her classroom and you'll see how beautiful and inviting it is. To hear and observe her teach, well, it would make you want to sit and ponder upon your favorite teacher and wish you were back in that happy place."

Mrs. Huggins Anderson's instruction and creativity is something you have to experience for yourself. Everyone who comes across her, including teachers and school leaders from other schools who come to visit, are in awe when they see her teach. She teaches above the expectations of an inner city school and has all of her students, even those with severe disabilities, involved and engaged throughout the classroom while she sits and teaches a small group at the back table. Her teaching style is so authentic and amazing that both current and former administrators have recorded her to use as a model teacher in her school to help other teachers visualize what small and whole group teaching with centers could look like.

During the 2017-2018 school year, her classroom theme was Aviators. She paid an artist to create beautiful life-size pictures of aviators, and she had books of aviators throughout her classroom. Additionally, she wrote a grant to supply her students with aviator type hats, walkie-talkies, and resources and supplies that focused on her theme. During the 2018-2019 school year, her classroom theme was Entrepreneurs, and everyone had a job. She collaborated with her team and got them involved, and at the end of the school year, the classes focused on creating and selling their products, which was a success.

"During the summer, she was the Book Club teacher for the 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) program," said Fields. "The students and parents were so impressed, especially with the book she had the students write. She had this book published, and I purchased a copy and showed it off to everyone. If you walk in her classroom, you would see all of the books she publishes with her students every year."

Parents, staff, and students love and admire her. Every year, she gets visits from students she has taught all the way back in 2005, and she still gets fan mail from students she has taught. The impression she leaves on her students and parents is full of positivity, inspiration, and love. If you were to ever visit her classroom, you'd nominate her yourself!

Mrs. Huggins Anderson is a positive, wonderful human with a humble, graceful, generous, creative and innovative spirit. Whatever she does, she does from the goodness of her heart, not to gain the spotlight or to fill her bucket list. She volunteers during Family Engagement Nights to show parents how they can help their children at home, and to create make-and take activities. She helps with facepainting and hands-on activities during the family engagement nights, as well. Mrs. Huggins Anderson works long hours, typically from 7:30 AM until 8:00 PM, but she never complains. She volunteers her time giving back and helping others. She holds summits with young girls, teaching them how to walk and talk with grace and confidence. Mrs. Huggins Anderson also collects donations of clothing and shoes to give to these young ladies, and she teaches them how to love themselves. One of her favorite phrases is "Be Beautiful, Be You." It doesn't matter who you are and what you're going through; Mrs. Huggins Anderson is going to find the positive in you. She loves helping others find solutions, and she loves being a positive light in such a weary world. She is sincere and humble and wants the best for everyone. In fact, she's like Miss Nelson from the book "Ms. Nelson is Missing"  and definitely like Ms. Honey from the movie Matilda.

As a philanthropist, Mrs. Huggins Anderson gives generously to various charities and to special events going on at the school. One of her new volunteer spots is with animals. She goes out to beaches to watch out for turtles and make sure they are safe on land. She also volunteers with horses, and is currently in the process of finishing her second book which focuses on horses. Her first book, Seashells for Lilly, focused on a little girl's love for the beach.

"I am very blessed to have such a wonderful friend and to work alongside a woman gifted to bless the world," said Fields. "Easter Huggins Anderson rocks!"