Lizzi Elliott was nominated by an anonymous student.
"My favorite teacher is Mrs. Lizzi Elliott. This is not only for her teaching ability or for her general aptitude for creating beautiful music, but for her ability to be kind in everything she does," said the student. "It’s rare that I, as a quiet student, walk into a classroom and feel a sense of family with my classmates. When walking into Mrs. Elliott’s classroom, it’s like walking into your own living room to see your family watching tv and having fun together. Her biggest rules in the classroom are: spread kindness and positivity, listen, and treat each other like the family we truly are. The sense of family we, as a class, feel while in the classroom is something truly special that we can only figure is a result of our leader. I owe so much to Mrs. Elliott for everything she’s done for me; I just hope I can repay her someday. Mrs. Elliott, in the practice of sharing, caring, and making beautiful music while creating lifelong relationships and memories, is a true role model to me."
Mrs. Elliot was an amazing teacher, she cares about every one of her students. One time I was in her class and I was having a big anxiety attack and she stopped class and came to talk to me and asked what’s going on and we had a good conversation and she let me settle down for the rest of the class while she taught… she taught me so much and she is amazing and so funny and supportive. She may not know it now but she made a difference in me for the better and she means a lot to me.
Mrs. Elliott is a ray of sunshine in any circumstance. She is all about family, and in her classroom, we ARE family. She is there for you whether you want to laugh, cry, or make beautiful music. Mrs. Elliott was not only a phenomenal teacher, but a best friend and a shoulder to cry on all throughout high school. She believes in everyone, no matter what, and is the hardest worker I have ever met. Through anything, Mrs. Elliott will be seen with a smile on her face.
She wasn’t known to me as Mrs. Elliott, but she has always been an amazing teacher. This woman has a way of making students feel like they belong, no matter where they come from. I found a place in her chorus room and a sense of confidence I didn’t have before. I found lifelong friends I consider to be family, and a voice I didn’t know I had in me. As an educator, she gives tirelessly of her time and energy, and she never hesitates to do it. This is why she’s a life changer because I swear she’s changed more lives than can be counted.
Mrs. Will it is absolutely amazing. As an alumni of AJHS, I had the pleasure to experience Mrs. Elliot during my high school years. She was always a pleasant person to be around. Always chippy and bright! She had a way of making you feel hugged by your grandma by just speaking. She was a wonderful choir director and teacher.
Lizzie is very kind hearted. She goes the extra mile for most people. She is talented with a generous disposition. Lizzie is always smiling and happy.
Mrs.Elliott does an amazing job at making each student feel like they belong in her classroom. I was always very quiet in high school and through what became like a family in the chorus room, I was able to come out of my shell more and more with each passing year. Mrs.Elliott is the epitome of a selfless educator and a wonderful role model to have at AJHS. She welcomed each student into her classroom and treated them as family (even sharing her adopting a beautiful little girl into her family and her gender reveal). Her class was alway something to look forward to.
Best of luck Mrs.Elliott, you definitely deserve this!
Mrs.Elliott was my High School choir teacher. She was our mom at school and was often called mom by her students years before becoming a mom to her little girl. I graduated 4 years ago and she is still my favorite teacher. She loves her students big and creates a family in her choirs. Mrs. Elliott changed my life and taught me how to show my own students love every day. To be an amazing teacher you have to create a classroom full of love, respect, and trust. That is exactly what Mrs. Elliott has done in her room.
One example of the relationship and trust that she builds:
Senior year of high school my grandfather wasn’t doing well. My sister and I told Mrs. Elliott that if we were on our chorus trip and he passed away we want to hear the news from her. As a teacher now I know that Mrs. Elliott never signed up to deliver that kind of news, however she accepted that responsibility in case that happened because of the relationship she built with us. She knew that hearing that news would come better from her than in a phone call. She never had to deliver that news, but to me trusting her to deliver the most heartbreaking news is a lot.
Lizzi Elliott will always be the best in my heart. She loves her students past, present, and future. Nobody deserves this more than her.
Lizzi is one of the most kind, compassionate, and amazing teachers I have ever had the pleasure of learning from. She fosters more than just a joy of learning music, she helps students really learn to love their lives. She brings joy to everyone just by being her. As a teacher, she expects excellence and knows how to bring it out in each individual she works with. She knows how to work with students on any level to get them to be their best selves.
Outside of being a phenomenal teacher, Lizzi is a great person! I have seen many times how she doesn’t quit caring about her students just because they graduate, grow up, and move away. Ask some of us from 12-13 years ago at AJHS and we will still tell you how much she loves and supports us. My wife and I are among that list of people and we can’t think of someone who deserves this award more than Lizzi!
Love you Eargle!!
I’ve only known Lizzy for a few years but I can say that her musical abilities combined with her desire to teach and inspire her students to be all they can be through music and in life is her passion. She has a big heart for young people, music and family. She shares her gifts and talents through her profession and other aspects of her life. The younger generation need people in their life that care about them and encourage them and make them feel excepted. Lizzy meets all these needs for the young people she interacts with. I think all these attributes as well as her kind heart and happy disposition qualify her to be a Life Changer of the Year.
Lizzi Elliott has brought out a confidence in my child that we haven’t seen in years. She has brought that confidence out in her every day life, as well as her performing. When starting chorus her first year of high school she was the kid that always wanted to be at the back, she preferred not to be heard or seen, but the love and respect she receives from Miss Elliott has made her proud to stand in front. She has formed friendships with her classmates and has become more social. She has been allowed to use her creativity in so many different ways. I absolutely believe this is because of Mrs. Elliott.
When asked what she plans to do after high school, she’s had many different replies… until this year. She plans to be a teacher and vows to love and respect her students just as Lizzi Elliott does. Our family is so thankful for this major LifeChanger.
Mrs. Elliott is amazing at everything that she does! She goes above and beyond for her students everytime. Even when I graduated in 2020, I remember the day that the speaker came on overhead and said that class would be moved to online for the next two weeks in March. It was the beginning of the pandemic, and because none of us had a real grasp on how our lives would change in the coming months, most students celebrated because the only thought was “no school!” But then, I saw Mrs. Elliott’s expression. She looked like she knew what was coming next: no competitions, no choir events, and no chorus concert at the end of the year because of Covid. Even when we moved online and tried to wrap our heads around learning our music on our own and through a screen & keyboard, Mrs. Elliott did everything in her power to keep her students from falling behind and she still managed to create the same warm, welcoming atmosphere of the Chorus Room through a laptop. I graduated two years ago, and Mrs. Elliott is still such an important person to me because without her and her class, I would not have the same love for music or the friends and relationships that I have now.
Lizzi Elliott is truly someone who CAN and DOES change lives-mine included. While I am no longer a student at Andrew Jackson, her touch on my life has yet to waver. She was one of my main inspirations to major in music at the very same university she attended, and through the academic and emotional hardships I endured for 4.5 years, she continued to support me every step of the way. She refused to allow me to give up, she helped remind me of my purpose, and she showed me what I am truly capable of. I have had the opportunity to be a student of hers, a collaborative musician, and a colleague. Very wonderful memories that I know she will experience many more students to come in her future!
I have had the honor of teaching with Lizzi for over 7 years and in that time I have witnessed time and time again her sincere devotion to her craft, her students, and her school community as a whole. She is an inspiration not only to her students, but also to those who are lucky enough to work alongside her. She fights for students and their needs in and outside of her classroom.
Lizzi is by far one of the BEST teachers my daughter ever had! She is not only a teacher, she is a friend, confidant, cheerleader and so much more. Lizzi instilled confidence in my daughter during her entire high school years. We love her like family and could not agree any more with this nomination!
