LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Cindy Deck was nominated by her principal, Matthew Mitchell.

Ms. Deck is a phenomenal teacher and an outstanding role model for her students. As a former middle school social studies teacher, Ms. Deck chaperoned countless students on Close Up trips to Washington D.C. She was heavily involved with Teen Court sponsored by Volunteers of Youth Justice. Along with Volunteers of Youth Justice, Ms. Deck agreed to lead the effort to start the first school-based restorative justice court in the state of Louisiana.

When she moved to the newly established Fair Park Middle School, Ms. Deck taught eighth grade Social Studies classes and ran Tribal Court, a student-administered court that heard cases for minor infractions of students at Fair Park. Court members did not determine guilt or innocence, but they imposed sanctions that reflect restorative justice principles by holding their peers accountable. The philosophy of Tribal Court is to utilize peer pressure as a positive force, helping young people accept accountability for their actions while educating respondents and members of the court about the legal system. The goal of Tribal Court was to create a sense of school pride and community while also creating productive, active citizens.

Ms. Deck had even bigger aspirations for her students. She wanted each of her Tribal Court members to experience going to Washington D.C with Close Up. Most of her students had never experienced anything like this before, and parents were having a hard time raising the money to cover the trip. Students would enjoy a 4-Day/3 Night trip to Washington D.C., with Close Up staff serving as tour guides for the entire trip. It afforded students the opportunity to visit our nation’s capital and participate in a real living classroom. Close Up gives students the opportunity to experience their government in action and gain the skills, knowledge, and confidence they need to be engaged citizens. Ms. Deck was able to successfully implement Tribal Court while also collaborating with VYJ to raise the funds for her students to experience the Close Up trip yearly!

"After becoming the principal of a high school, I knew that I needed Ms. Deck to become a part of my students’ lives," Mitchell said. "Ms. Deck is currently implementing Raider Court and teaching U.S. History at Huntington High School. Students have not only gained valuable knowledge of how the legal system work, but have gained a respect for the law. Our students have also earned community service hours that are looked upon favorably by scholarship committees, universities, and the community. Ms. Deck ensures that her students practice public speaking and debate skills, which foster feelings of confidence and pride. She has been an intricate part in building the culture of success and community within our school. She has taught students to be active leaders in our school and community. Ms. Deck’s work has gone well beyond our school doors, and for these reasons, I believe she is definitely a LifeChanger."