LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Alexis Munoz was nominated by his colleague, Charles Lower.

"What people notice first about Alexis Munoz, besides his stylish attire, is how great he is with kids of varied ages and abilities," explains Lower. "He treats all students with respect and develops strong bonds with them. He maintains strong relationships with students regardless of how often they need his help or how they may act in their more difficult moments. He bridges gaps in challenging circumstances and excels at prosocial bonding and communication."

Mr. Munoz has been extremely committed to supporting the students who have needed love, care, and a trusted adult who believes in them. As an Applied Behavior Analyst (ABA), he often works most closely with the kids who are struggling the most, many of whom have complex trauma histories. Multiple times a day, Mr. Munoz is called upon to support dysregulated students with emotional impairments and help them get to a regulated state so they can return to class ready to learn. He has also pioneered special incentives for students when they are achieving their goals. His world is special education, and he pours his heart into each child he works with.  

Mr. Munoz can seamlessly identify the function of student behavior and tailor his responses and plans with teachers to address needs head-on. His approach allows more students to reach their goals and feel success where they may not have before, which is invaluable. His unique method creatively uses a student's strengths and interests to drive their academic motivation forward. He allows students to be themselves so they can have a voice while building self-confidence and improving coping skills. He has a rare talent. Mr. Munoz not only does this across all backgrounds but with a range of ages, too!

Mr. Munoz is incredibly invested in his students' learning and social-emotional well-being. He makes sure that he builds and consistently maintains positive and genuine relationships with every student. He recently has been teaching a third-grade student to play chess. Chess requires a lot of strategy, thinking, and logic. His passion for increasing students' learning through academic and non-academic activities is relentless and bright. 

Anyone working with Mr. Munoz knows how much pride he takes in his career, investing himself in the school community by leading trainings and being an experienced sounding board for his colleagues. His work helps ensure all students achieve at high levels despite numerous obstacles. Mr. Munoz inspires others with his specific instruction style and dynamic teaching. He consistently models best practices while interacting with students and staff. Mr. Munoz mentors paraprofessionals and teachers on how to properly implement his program's behavioral tenets. Since he is certified in crisis prevention, he ensures everyone is interacting safely with the children at all times. When he finds a better way to solve a problem, he models the new solution for the betterment of the students and staff. The other staff members are constantly looking to him for guidance and strategies.  

Mr. Munoz involves himself in several school-based programs that contribute to the Edison School community, and his day does not end at dismissal. He helps run an after-school program focused on helping kids develop the relevant skills to succeed in the areas they aspire to work in. He has also implemented multiple art lessons, including custom shoe design, an area in which he is incredibly talented. His work in the after-school program encourages students, especially those of color, to strive for excellence. He also somehow found time to coach the Edison Boys Basketball team, where he was focused on much more than just winning and losing. He molded the group of boys into a team and taught valuable life lessons along the way. Mr. Munoz is always there for his community, and he is a great and loved role model because of it. 

His dedication to the most vulnerable students ensures that they receive the education and opportunities they deserve. Each year he has been at the Edison School, he has enthusiastically taken on more leadership roles and used the greater responsibilities to fuel his personal development as an educator and advocate. Mr. Munoz goes the extra mile and goes beyond school hours.

"Without him, our community would not be the same. Alexis Munoz is an inspirational role model for all the students he teaches and people who get to work with him," said Lower.