LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Heather Eskridge's nominator would like to remain anonymous.

Ms. Eskridge is one of kind!  She has many roles as a school counselor, and does much more than a traditional school counselor. She has developed an Amazing Shake program for her fourth and fifth grade students. This program allows students to experience post-secondary possibilities by visiting a college campus, trade school campus, and a military base. Fourth grade students participate in a "reality fair" where they have the opportunity to live as their profession of choice. Whether a child chooses to be a banker, cosmetologist, teacher, or a professional athlete, they have to pay their bills for one month by visiting booths.  Community members and businesses man each booth and talk to the students about grocery costs, phone bills, medical expenses, car payments, home loans, child care, insurance, and many other aspects of life.  Students balance their monthly budget to understand what it means to live within their budget based on their salary.

Fourth and fifth grade students also participate in a soft skills competition, which allows local businesses to interact with students. Students are given scenarios they must react to, experience a formal introduction, sit in interviews, and travel off campus as the competition is narrowed to the finalists.  Students interact with CEOs and other business professionals with first impressions, conversations, questions asked during tours, and presentations. They learn the importance of eye contact, a firm handshake, social skills when maintaining a conversation, and supporting each other during a competition.  These students are put to the test with some very challenging scenarios and are judged by the community members.

"Walter Hill is a small rural school that feeds into much larger middle schools," said the nominator. "Because of Ms. Eskridge's work, our students leave our school at the end of 5th grade with life skills that allow them to advocate for themselves, set goals, and work towards their dreams.  She has led several inservices about flexible seating, The Amazing Shake, and the Reality Fair. Ms. Eskridge works extremely hard to create programs, field trips, and lessons for our students so they can have as many opportunities as possible when they move on in their educational career."

Ms. Eskridge leads home visits and Bowl with Your Teacher Day to welcome students back to school. She organizes community resources to help meet students' needs for housing, food, clothing, mental health treatment, and medical treatment.  She also holds a morning group each day for students to come and prepare for the school day.  Some students come to get their hair brushed, brush their teeth, get a snack for snack time, talk in a calm environment, or get some school supplies for the day.

"Ms. Eskridge has allowed the community to see the potential in our children," said her nominator. "She has touched the lives of many children, who now believe in themselves and are looking to make the world a better place as they grow into adults."