LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Courtney Kelly was nominated by a colleague, Kristy Olinik.

"'I am so proud of you, I can't stand it. Call your mom; I want to hear you tell her,' is the last phone call that I had with Courtney. She had a student who struggled in class, but she refused to give up. After his second attempt of state certification for EMT class, he passed his national registry," said Olinik. "That is the spark that Courtney brought to the program four years ago."

Looking for an instructor to bring hope to low-income students and get their respect for understanding them was not easy.  When kids see no future, it's hard to get them to believe that there is a present. The moment Mrs. Kelly walked in, however, this changed. Mrs. Kelly was full of fire, and she appeared to be exactly what the doctor ordered.

"The beginning of the program was challenging. The instructors weren't bad, but they did not bring the fire that I needed to the students," said Olinik. "Courtney came in the third year, and I knew she would make the best choice... I just needed to get her on board with it.  It was the quickest conversation ever, and since then, I would have no other instructor next to me. She is stubborn, and she's so driven that you are almost afraid to let her down. She treats these kids like they are her own, and that takes a special kind of person. In two years, her effortless positivity and selflessness brought our program to all students passing state certification for national registry."

Years ago, Mrs. Kelly had no plans on being a teacher. She was already a fire department captain, a mom to three daughters, a coach for various sports (softball, volleyball, traveling fastpitch, and basketball), and a wife to a police officer. Who would want to add several struggling low-income students to that case load? Mrs. Kelly did, and she did it with grace and enthusiasm. 

"'Accomplishing anything great or what you want requires us to make significant changes that push us out of our comfort zones, so get out of your comfort zone and step it up.' 'I am not giving up and I am not letting you...that is too easy.' These are just some of the things I hear in my head when it comes to Courtney instructing," said Olinik. "Don't get me wrong - I am sure there were plenty of times she wanted to throw in the towel, but her ability to be a light in her students' eyes did not go unnoticed."

Mrs. Kelly puts in long days, and sometimes, you can still smell the fire she fought the night before on her as she gets off shift and comes straight to teaching. She sets high standards for students, who not only meet them, but exceed them. She ensures that she is reflected both in and outside of school. Mrs. Kelly has given countless hours of dedication to her students' success, not only while they are in her classroom, but after they leave. They are truly not forgotten once they graduate. Mrs. Kelly has helped numerous students get into post-secondary education training and into hands-on careers in the surrounding fire departments.  She has employed students who have left her class and goes above and beyond to make sure they succeed outside of school. She uses her connections in the city to place students in volunteer fire departments with pay and EMT classes. Mrs. Kelly also assists students with getting into colleges and jobs that may not be related to her class.  Her dedication to these students is relentless.

"I remember the day she got promoted to Captain. The students were so happy for her," said Olinik. "A couple months later, the department went back and pulled seven positions, one of them being hers. Even though I knew she had to be hurt, she never showed it to the students. When I think back on it, the students were more visibly upset then she was. She could have been mad and had every right to be, but she used it as a lesson with the students. She said, 'At any time in your life, you can get what you earn, but then, someone higher up can just take it. It doesn't mean you didn't earn it. Don't ever forget that.' Her teachings go with that motto. She lets her students know this will be the hardest thing they ever have to do, and they will want to give up, but she promises them 'If you believe in you like I do, you will walk away knowing you earned every sweat and tear of this certification.'"

Mrs. Kelly is someone who has a career that demands respect. Although she does demand it, the students give it because of the hope she gives them. Currently, she's trying to implement an adult training center at the school, which would give classes in firefighting, EMT, CPR/First aid, and police training so students could continue their training for free. Her hope is to open this up to their families and those struggling in the community, so that they can have a chance at a career they might want, but can't afford.

"Courtney tells the students all the time, 'No one knows the struggle of change you're dealing with. Know that it is not permanent and just temporary, and you have a unique opportunity to change your future.' I don't think she sees herself as the beacon that has given students this belief, but I do," said Olinik.