LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Cara Coonradt was nominated by her spouse, Brad Coonradt.

This past year has been extremely difficult for everyone as we have navigated through a national pandemic. One of the biggest challenges has been on students and teachers as they've had to pivot to online/distance learning, which has not been easy on either side. Instead of complaining, Mrs. Coonradt decided to embrace distance learning. She created a welcoming environment for her virtual classroom and even put up motivational, encouraging quotes for her backdrop so her students would be inspired everyday. Mrs. Coonradt has not lost sight of her students' education, but she realized their health and wellness were more important. She focused on being there for her students emotionally and showing them empathy as they navigated through unprecedented time. She let them know she was there for them in whatever way they needed.

In 2019, Mrs. Coonradt put together a "Wellness Day" for her fellow staff. She had been working hard on her own personal development and wanted to share some of what she learned with her colleagues. She turned her classroom into a wellness center for the day and printed out positive affirmations and deep, relaxing breathing techniques. Mrs. Coonradt also had a meditation station and a place for staff to journal about their feelings. Wellness Day was a big success, and a lot of staff members continued on with some of the wellness activities Mrs. Coonradt set up.

Mrs. Coonradt is always volunteering to take on more for her school and district. She has a passion for curriculum. In the past, she was a TOSA overseeing curriculum for her district. Since then, she has continued to assist with curriculum for the English department as well as other school projects. Most recently, she assisted with the roll out of distance learning by helping teachers make the transition to teaching full time online. Mrs. Coonradt is not afraid to do whatever her district needs outside of her own classroom to help out. Her district has leaned on her many times. She always rises to the occasion with a positive attitude because she knows she is making a difference in the lives of teachers and students.

Mrs. Coonradt has been teaching for 15 years. In every school she has been at, she has made a huge impact with her students and staff. She has tremendous leadership skills and is not afraid to take on extra work. At one of her past schools in Downey, CA, she took on the role of middle school cheerleading coach at the very last minute. She saw how hard the girls had worked and knew they deserved a chance to compete. Whatever the occasion is, Mrs. Coonradt always steps up to help her students and district. She cares so much and wants everyone to have the opportunity to better themselves so they have a chance to live their best lives. 

"If you ask anyone who has ever worked with Cara, they will echo my thoughts and be able to add to them as they see all the work and positive energy she puts out on a daily basis," said Mr. Coonradt. "One thing I have learned from being married to a teacher is that it is an extremely challenging job. Cara handles it so well, puts on a smile every day, and does her best to be a role model for her students and staff...To me, there is no doubt Cara is a LifeChanger in her community. She will continue to have a huge impact wherever she is teaching."