LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Guillermo Gonzalez was nominated by a student who wishes to remain anonymous.

Mr. Gonzalez is a Garfield High School alumnus who aims to make a positive impact on all of his students. He provides a comfortable and welcoming classroom environment that allows his students to engage and learn. The nominator has never come across a teacher like Mr. Gonzalez.

"He is a strict, but caring educator who holds us accountable for our actions," the nominator said. "He does not accept excuses and pushes his students to be the best they can be. He encourages his students to pursue higher education, and is a great role model for Garfield students."

Mr. Gonzalez is also a voluntary university advisor. He volunteers many hours a month helping students with scholarship essays and applications. Over the years, he has formed many partnerships with various universities and organizations to allow the students of Garfield High School to attend their summer programs. The nominator was fortunate enough to be selected to attend an engineering program at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where they not only learned about engineering, but were also able to experience college life for a week.

"Everything Mr. Gonzalez does, he does out of the love he has for his job, and for the future of his students," the nominator said. "He is the reason many of my peers went to college, and is the one person many of us count on to help us get there.  He cares for his students like a father, and many of us look up to him as one."