LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Lori Belcourt was nominated by Rachel Scanlon, her principal. 

Every summer, hundreds of children (and now adults) receive a very special card in the mail - yes, in the old-fashioned snail mail. Each year, these lucky humans are gifted with a handwritten note from their former first grade teacher, Ms. Belcourt. No matter what life brings, Ms. Belcourt spends the majority of her August break writing over 400 messages to students she once had when they were six years old. Some who receive these notes are almost 40 years old now and have gotten a letter every year for over 30 years.

"This is dedication, this is kindness, this is passion, this is how teachers make a difference. This is just one of the many reasons Lori is a LifeChanger," said Scanlon. "As principal of Farley Elementary School, I have known Lori for 9 years. As a veteran teacher myself with just about 20 years of experience, I have the opportunity to work with educators each and every day. Within minutes of working with Lori, I knew she was magical. The students adore her, staff members flock to her for advice, and parents and caregivers beg for their children to be in her class."

"This single mother of two adopted daughters knows no limits when it comes to helping and transforming her students' lives," explains Scanlon.