LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Jenny Byrd was nominated by her spouse, Brandon Byrd.

Mrs. Byrd not only does her job, but she possesses all the qualities a LifeChanger should have! She graduated with both her Bachelor's and Master's in education from Columbus State University. Then, she took a job in Troup County at Long Cain Elementary School. After a year, she came back to Muscogee County to take a position at Edgewood Elementary School, where she taught until the school was closed indefinitely. At Edgewood Elementary, she was named Teacher of the Year for her grade level. Then, Mrs. Byrd moved on to Northside Elementary for a long term substitute position. After the birth of her son, she took up residency at Gentian Elementary School, where she remains to this day.

"As her husband, I see the countless hours she selflessly gives to preparing the curriculum and material she presents to the children for learning," said Mr. Byrd. "Gentian is a Title I school, and it has the highest number of special needs students in our county, so her classroom is often a mix of children with special needs and children on another end of the spectrum. Ms. Byrd promotes a strict environment of equality amongst her students. Some of her students are blind, suffer from autism, or come from severe, poverty-stricken demographics. That doesn't mean they don't receive her absolute, undivided, selfless attention."

Mrs. Byrd herself has Tourette syndrome, which often leaves her in excruciating pain due to her tics. She manages to endure and persevere through days that others might find unbearable to navigate through.

"It's not that noticeable to everyone, and she doesn't broadcast it, but I encourage her to embrace it and use it as a tool within her classroom," said Mr. Byrd. "That way, her students can see that we all have 'our own thing' and can overcome it and achieve whatever we set out to do."

Mrs. Byrd rotates with her grade level colleagues to be the academic coordinator. In past years, she has been the assistant and head coach of the Science Olympics, where she has had several students go on to the state level to represent Gentian Elementary. This school year, one of her fourth grade students won the school spelling bee for all grade levels and will compete in the county wide spelling bee.

At home, Mrs. Byrd is an amazing wife and an outstanding mother to her two sons, Troa and Aven, as well as a stepmother to Mr. Byrd's children, Ansley and Aiden. She is the definition and living example in which we all strive to be like within our household. Her core values of hard work, dedication, and complete selflessness are promoted through the attraction of the spiritual principles she displays and lives by. This translates into her classroom, where her students are her family, too. Parents can always talk to her at any time. Her phone and email never goes unanswered, and she is always available when a parent calls to discuss something about their children. She is always offering a suggestion or piece of advice to get to the solution of a problem or issue someone is having.

"I love my wife, and I know her colleagues and students love her, too. Although she may feel like she's 'just doing' her job, I think she deserves all the recognition in the world," said Mr. Byrd. "I've seen children in the morning who come to school hungry because they haven't eaten since they left school the previous day. She always has a snack for them in her desk. I've seen children who come to school unkept, and she keeps things on hand to offer them so they can put themselves together. I've had the joy of hearing her name being yelled out in grocery stores and seeing the eyes of current and former students light up when they see her. With all that said, I know she has made a impact on many students' lives, as well as the lives of our family. She is a LifeChanger, for sure."