LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Karensa Wright was nominated by her colleague, Mackenzie Shiau.

Mrs. Wright is the epitome of what a great leader should be: a humble servant. She is dedicated and passionate about her work, but more importantly, she is thoughtful and dedicated to how she achieves that work. Many leaders have great ideas of what education should be, but very few have such an effective and passionate manner in which to achieve that goal.

"Mrs. Wright leads our team with a vision of how we will serve the students and how she can support us in doing so," said Shiau. "She is by far the most dedicated, compassionate, effective, and hard-working administrator that I have had the pleasure of working with."

Mrs. Wright is thoughtful and considerate about all aspects of her school's program. She takes time to consider the needs of the students and how new teammates will contribute to her established team. She considers the emotional and educational impact. Mrs. Wright continues to develop her entire team by challenging them to incorporate new ideas and technologies into their work. She is always the first to celebrate her team's successes and encourage them to do better. She cultivates an intrinsic desire to become a better educator for students and ourselves. 

Mrs. Wright took over Boynton Beach Community's adult education program approximately five years ago. She has not only increased enrollment exponentially, but she has also increased the student return rate. She's dedicated to making sure that the students not only have academic success on campus, but gain community connections through real-life skill-building. Students come back each term, not just because they want to learn English, but because they cherish the relationships that Mrs. Wright has ensured have been fostered. Mrs. Wright provides opportunities for students and staff to engage in meaningful interactions and connections with the community, such as the Boynton Beach police department, the city and county libraries, local stores (Publics and La Granja), banks, Palm Beach Community College, and Boynton Beach Fire Rescue. She makes sure that through the night school program, students learn English by interacting with the community. Students leave the program with a better grasp of what the community offers and how they can contribute to our society.

Furthermore, Mrs. Wright ensures that students are engaged in the learning process and challenges herself and her team to incorporate other components into this process. She and her team have started family nights, which include literacy activities, social-emotional practices, and of course, English development in partnership with the Positive Parenting Program. Triple P provides services and resources to students who would otherwise struggle without it. Additionally, with her directive, her staff have also started a Multicultural celebration, a collaborative celebration amongst all the students and staff, as well as a medical fair in conjunction with the Boynton Beach High School Medical Academy, which provides pertinent health information screenings. Moreover, she has brought free hearing screenings, childcare, and family celebration activities to her students in hopes that they can make connections with fellow classmates.

"In short, it’s extremely difficult to list all of the amazing opportunities, experiences, and relationships she has brought to our students, community partners, and teammates," said Shiau. "Her directive is like no other. Her work ethic is beyond comparison, and her compassion is unmatched. This award is something that my entire team wishes to bestow upon Mrs. Wright for her diligent work in our community and with our students, staff, and school. She is the heart of Boynton Beach Community Adult Education."