LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Jana Knight was nominated by her friend, Kelly Cannan.

"Jana has changed the lives of so many students over the past 13 years of teaching," said Cannan. "I was lucky enough to meet Jana in 2015. I was pregnant with my second child when I met her. She was new to my school, and she luckily taught across the hall from me. We connected instantly, as we have the same feelings towards our students and the same teaching styles. We both want what is best for our students; however, Jana has taken it a step further."

Ms. Knight loves to inspire her students to think outside the box while learning. She is not the teacher who reads from a textbook and has her students do worksheets. She is creative, and she comes up with fun, exciting ways to learn in the classroom. Ms. Knight even gives her students choices in the classroom; she feels like options in the classroom benefit her students and their ability to learn.

While teaching at Singing River Academy in Mississippi, Ms. Knight learned how to use Google Classroom to help improve her instruction for students. This allowed her to not only help students in the classroom, but help her colleagues, as well. She became an expert who helped anyone who wanted to improve their classroom.

Ms. Knight took classes and received her Master's degree in gifted education. This degree has allowed her to push through to her students. This degree has helped her see the abilities of every student in her classroom, which has changed the way she teaches even the lowest student in her classroom.

"In conclusion, Jana loves her students as if they are her own children," said Cannan. "She goes above and beyond what is called for when she teaches her students. She is a great asset to any school she works at. Jana is there to not only help her students, but help her colleagues, as well."