LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Paul Gaba was nominated by Sue Ann McDaniel, a member of the community.

Who do you consider a LifeChanger? A person who impacts one or two individuals so significantly that their lives are forever changed for the better?  What about someone who has made such an impact on hundreds, maybe thousands of young adults' lives?  At Wellington High School, Mr. Gaba is the latter.

Mr. Gaba started his career with Wellington High School in 2002, when he took over the debate program from a prominent coach in the area who had retired.  Did he let that deter him? No! He was determined to give his very best from the very beginning to all students who came through his classroom door.  Mr. Gaba was not a debater in school - he was actually a film and radio broadcast major - but he knew he could work with the students, and together, they would learn.  Little did he know that 17 years later, he would have positively impacted the lives of so many of his students.

"I could tell you all about all of the coaching and leadership recognitions that Coach Gaba has received.  I could also tell you all of the national successes he and the team have achieved through the years," said McDaniel. "That is what makes him an amazing coach and an asset to our district - but he is so much more than that."

"I first met Paul when my daughter was an incoming freshman at Wellington High School in 2013," said McDaniel. "She had signed up for debate, and we met at open house.  As we walked through the door into his classroom, I could tell this was going to be an experience.  His classroom is filled with items he has collected over the years. Newspaper clippings about his students adorn the walls. You can find a tri-fold portable marquee filled with photos of past and present students' accomplishments over the years, and trophies - lots and lots of trophies donated to the program by graduates."

For Mr. Gaba, it's not about the "wins." but the experiences. The experience of growing as a person, the experience of learning how to win and lose gracefully, and the experience of learning how to handle criticism.

"Debate is an event that requires that parents volunteer, and so I did," said McDaniel. "Over the next four years, I watched my daughter and her classmates evolve from goofy freshmen into well-prepared, well-spoken, well-dressed young adults.  They not only learned how to write and give speeches, but they could prepare term papers and research multiple sides of any given topic.  Debate also demands you travel to tournaments.  Traveling teaches you many things - how to pack a suitcase, how to pick up your airline tickets and boarding passes, how to navigate an airport, how to budget money for food, how to catch public transit, and more.  All of these are fantastic life skills that will stay with these young adults for the rest of their lives."

While all of these things are really great skills for young adults to have, and will certainly prepare them for real world experiences, there's more that makes Mr. Gaba a LifeChanger. His classroom is an amazing place, and his room is always open for any student who needs a safe space. His students know they can come to him with any problem, large or small.  He is a mentor, a friend, and a confidant, as well as an educator.  He allows his students to grow in a safe, nurturing environment. Mr. Gaba chaperones them, but does not make decisions for them.  He has them involved in the Juvenile First Offenders Program, also known as Palm Beach County Youth Court.  The students can observe, be on the jury, or serve as a clerk or an attorney for the program. It is a very informative look at the Justice System.

The students are also required to do service projects with  local rehabilitation centers.  They visit on holidays and provide cards and care packages to the residents, which broadens the students' knowledge of the community around them.  He never gives up on them, even if they have given up on themselves, and he will go above and beyond to encourage them to be the very best that they can be.  This year, he has established a clothes closet in the classroom for any student who may need appropriate clothing for an interview, a tournament, or any life event where they need to dress for success.  There are clothes for everyone - suits, jackets, dresses, shoes, socks, hundreds of neckties, you name it. All students have to do is ask.  He has thought of absolutely everything to assist each student that walks through the door to be successful.  

Mr. Gaba's philosophy is: "When it comes to the future of our children. there's only one goal that matters...and there's no debate on this issue!  We must, at any cost, provide our children with the tools they will need to keep the future of our great nation financially stable and insure global security for generations to come."  Mr. Gaba has been doing this, one student at a time, for more than 17 years. He truly is a LifeChanger.