LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Debra Dixon was nominated by her colleague, Monique Thompson-Salters.

Mrs. Dixon has truly been a life force for her high school campus. She has taken students who have struggled and made them her mission. She has connected with students who, for the past few years, have disengaged from school in some form. Mrs. Dixon formed relationships with them and truly changed their lives. They love science and coming to her class. She never gave up on any of her students. They made mistakes, and she worked with them. They excelled, and she celebrated with them. You just need to see the excitement she has for teaching because it's infectious. 

"The teachers have benefited from her presence, as well," said Thompson-Salters. "I've had the pleasure of seeing her in action. It's amazing what she can do with stickers and Snickers in a high school classroom. I've only ever taught at the high school level, so giving out candy and Snickers seemed like it wouldn't work so well in that setting, but it has for her. It's not the extrinsic reward that motivates her students, however. It's her passion to see them succeed."

"If I could pinpoint one attribute of her classroom teaching, it's her ability to build character in her students," said Thompson-Salters. "They are all individuals, yet they work and process information as a unit. All must succeed before she moves on to the next topic. It's not a race to finish the curriculum, but a race to success for her students. They are the driving force of why she does what she does. This is inspiring to me and my department. She did not come in with a million new ideas to implement. She talked to her teams and really listened to what they had to say. In doing so, she implemented what we thought best. Working with someone who values teachers and education is refreshing."

Mrs. Dixon has taught math classes when needed, given teachers pointers on what she notices, and helped to implement plans that target student weaknesses. She understands that when students fail, it's not the end of the journey, but a stepping stone to understanding. She works tirelessly. Mrs. Dixon plans lessons at home and comes in to prep for the labs and assignments she's implementing in class. She doesn't allow students to get down on themselves. She holds them accountable for their actions, but she doesn't define them by their mistakes. Students see that she'll be supportive, helpful, and caring, no matter what. They have an ally when they're right and a critic when they're wrong. The difference in her criticism is that they see it as coming from a place of love and care. The classroom atmosphere is one of acceptance. This is another reason students work so very hard for her. 

In Biology, her students are working on a level far greater than they have ever had to work. The level of detail she's able to go into is quite amazing. She took a class full of students from struggling with passing biology, to not only passing biology, but enjoying themselves as they do it. Her students earned their grades, and while that may mean re-doing the work they turned in, they do it with the confidence that they will get credit for reworking the problems. They do it because it's more important to understand the material than just getting a grade for it. They want to succeed, and they excel because of the passion she exudes when she teaches.

"I once told her we needed a school full of teachers like her. She's only one woman, but what an amazing impact she has had at this school," said Thompson-Salters.