LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Fabio Rodriguez was nominated by his district's superintendent, Josh Isaacson.

"Fabio Rodriguez is a LifeChanger. Fabio is a teacher, spouse, father, brother, and friend," said Isaacson. "I could write pages and pages of narrative about all of the exemplary things Fabio has done, and the student lives he has positively impacted. Instead, I will keep this pretty short, because Fabio is not the type of leader, mentor, and person who would want paragraphs written about himself. He is the type of person who puts others before himself. He always has, and he always will."

Mr. Rodriguez is very proud of his heritage as a Latino American. He has spent many summers away from the classroom in Central American countries donating his money, time, and effort to make life a little bit better by increasing opportunities for the less fortunate. He also assists with art fairs and shows for Latino Americans in the St. Louis area throughout the year in an effort to help people connect to new experiences and gain a better understanding of one another.

Mr. Rodriguez worked for many years as the foreign language teacher at De Soto High School. He was spectacular in this role, and he was a supportive team player with colleagues. Even though he was a magnificent Spanish teacher, his true potential and calling was art. When an art teacher position opened up, Mr. Rodriguez applied to transfer. He was one of many qualified applicants to apply.

"When he pulled out his own art portfolio and began sharing his passion for art and teaching, it was life-changing," said Isaacson. "Life-changing for me, for our students, for our staff, for our community, and for Fabio. Not only did Fabio get the job, but he transformed the role of art teacher within the school."

Mr. Rodriguez encouraged students to reach levels they did not think were possible.  He worked on musical and theater sets that brought out connections between art and the individual. When a student committed suicide a few years ago, Mr. Rodriguez worked with other students to create a mural of hope, uplifting the school culture during a time of great sadness.

Mr. Rodriguez expanded his reach beyond the classroom to the elementary school playground, working with students to create paintings that showcased the impact and potential of art in everyday life. Additionally, he worked with other teachers in the district to put on an annual art show to showcase student work to the rest of the student body and the community.

Mr. Rodriguez was always keen to pay attention to the little things expressed by others. He always noticed if a student was having a bad day at home or in need of resources. Not only did he notice, but he did something about it, whether it was having a conversation, saying a few words of positivity, or literally giving them the shirt off his back. 

The understanding of cultures as well as the understanding of others for who they were was something Mr. Rodriguez showed as a leader, teacher, and friend. He worked with students to dispel racial tensions, talk about individuality, and to grow together.  An example of this is a mural his students created in a corner hallway where different colored hands are reaching to meet. You could always find symbolism in everything he created, everything his students created, and in what he represents as a human. 

After a few years in the art room, it was clear that art itself had changed, from the standard projects seen in most schools across the county, to art exclusively coming from his students in his classroom. Mr. Rodriguez not only helped transform a school - he transformed individuals, and an entire community. He was never satisfied with simply decorating a gym for a student dance. Instead, he was the type of person who put his whole heart and soul in whatever he did for students, which meant transforming a gym to look like places around the world.  But don't forget the symbolism! For example, an Ancient Greek statue was not complete until it looked like the algebra teacher, and the photo booth was not right unless the colors evoked the pride of his school.      

Despite all of this, he was not done showing everything his school, students, and community could be. At the beginning of 2020, Mr. Rodriguez had a stroke. His district prepared for the worst while thinking positive thoughts, and Mr. Rodriguez did what he had always done: he fought. He did so for his two children, his wife, his family, and for his school. He demonstrated a resiliency beyond the human condition. His fight was not easy, and it's not over. He was not able to return to the students he loved, to the faculty he considered to be family members, or to the school he changed. Instead, he retired, and he's focused on a battle to express himself through blinking. 

"As a superintendent, I have been moved from time to time by an educator's retirement or resignation, but I have never cried like when I read the retirement for Fabio," said Isaacson. "I did so because I knew all about the positive impact he had on students, parents, teacher, and everyone he met. He changed many lives during his time at De Soto, including mine. In my book, he is an individual who not only made a difference in this world, but continues to make a difference in the lives of others each day, even though he is no longer in a classroom...Fabio is a LifeChanger. He always has been someone who changes the lives of others in a positive way, whether it's a stranger in another county, a student feeling insecure, or a custodian cleaning the classroom. He continues to be a role model, a father, spouse, brother, friend, and an artist. His symbolism in his fight to recovery, is an example to the everlasting resolve we must all have to endure, persevere, and inspire."