LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Jerry Brown was nominated by an anonymous colleague.

Mr. Brown’s ability to create a positive school atmosphere is astounding. It is very evident he believes it is crucial to grow together as a team in order to provide the most positive environment for students to learn at school. Ironically, he coached basketball for 30 years, so working as a teammate is second nature for him. However, he constantly implies that teamwork isn’t just for sports!

"During my first year employed at Chattanooga, we had Professional Development days before students returned to school for the year," said his nominator. "In addition to the mandatory meetings at school, Mr. Brown arranged for the entire staff at school to go on a fun field trip. We all went and zip-lined together and participated in exciting, team-building physical activities. To this day, we all strive to be team players in our daily classrooms thanks to Mr. Brown."

Mr. Brown continually proves his ability to make a beneficial difference in the lives of students. Students know Mr. Brown. During lunch, he sits and interacts with the students at the cafeteria tables. If he passes a student in the hallway, he personally greets that student by name and asks how they're doing. During recess, Mr. Brown comes outside on the playground and walks around with a smile. Occasionally, he even hops on a swing and swings alongside the kids. They love Mr. Brown. Mr. Brown loves them right back. The students know they are not just a number, and that they all are very important thanks to Mr. Brown.

Mr. Brown is committed to producing a nurturing atmosphere for everyone. Years ago, he and some teachers went through training in order to properly allow students to have four 15-minute recesses each day. These unstructured “breaks” are for the students to free their minds for a short period of time so they are ready to focus properly in the classroom. He understands it's hard to be cooped up in a room all day, so he is an advocate for the students being able to free their minds for a bit through imaginative play. Therefore, the students have a nurturing atmosphere at school thanks to Mr. Brown.

"I may never pursue a career as a superintendent, but if I did, I would strive to be a well-admired and respected leader like Mr. Brown," said his nominator. "Chattanooga may just be some cute, tiny town in Oklahoma, but our school’s atmosphere blossoms daily with Mr. Brown around. There may be a whopping 239 students and 36 employees throughout our entire district, but each and every one of us is loved, recognized, and important thanks to Mr. Brown."