LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Anthony Pence was nominated by his colleague and the parent of two students, Brenda Henson.

"Mr. Pence has a huge amount of commitment and makes a difference in his students' experiences here in a small 1A school in Kansas," said Henson. "My son and daughter are both students of his. He has given my daughter opportunities to work with the Capital City Barbershop Quartet in Topeka, which he is a member of. She was able to practice with them and hear feedback from them during a couple evening rehearsals with the whole group."

Mr. Pence has worked before and after school with students once a week for an extended period of time. He offered students the opportunity to participate in a barbershop quartet, which the students themselves put together.  He contacted the Renaissance Festival to see if his high school and middle school choirs could perform there, and he bought the costumes for each student to "borrow" from him.  Several parents didn't have the funds to buy costumes for a one-time performance, so Mr. Pence took it upon himself to purchase them so the kids looked like they were in period attire. The students had a very good time, and the festival was a good learning experience for them.

Mr. Pence takes students to weekend contests, and he provides them with breakfast prior to leaving in the mornings for these trips. At the Renaissance Festival, he offered to purchase lunch for students who didn't have money for their meal.  He puts everything into experiences for the students because it means that much to him.  He spends his own money and his own free time to give students opportunities they normally wouldn't have. Mr. Pence let students borrow his own personal instruments that he found and repaired, so they would have an instrument they normally wouldn't have.

"Basically, Mr. Pence would help a student with anything they asked for," said Henson. "He has definitely made a very positive impact on our District."