LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Marci Burkhart was nominated by an anonymous student.

"As humans, we can't like everyone. It's simply not possible. There will be numerous occasions when we have to spend time with people we dislike. For me, teachers are the biggest offenders," said the student. "It's a tedious process–they'll assign me a task, and I'll do it. Of course, it's not their fault, but that doesn't change my emotion toward them. I don't even get to choose my teachers, so why should I care?"

"Mrs. Burkhart is the exception," said the student. "She is the difference, the teacher who understands issues and cares about them. As a mom of many, she can easily empathize with the insignificant troubles that seem to consume you for no reason."

Mrs. Burkhart is an advisor for Arrowhead's DECA chapter. Formally, DECA is an association of marketing students that encourages the development of business and leadership skills through academic conferences and competitions. It's a club where students apply business tactics to real-world problems. Mrs. Burkhart oversees the process and assists students individually throughout the process. 

"Being a new student at Arrowhead at the start of my junior year, I turned to sports and clubs to meet new people," said the student. "For me, clubs were very hit or miss...Not once did any advisor come up to me and introduce themselves, but Mrs. Burkhart did. I quickly learned she was a new student at several different schools during her childhood, so she understood me."

"It wasn't until our trip to Atlanta for competition that I knew the difference she made. She took the time to have real conversations aside from DECA. Talking with a teacher about anything other than school was rare for me, but it didn't feel unusual. She made me feel like a part of Arrowhead," said the student. 

"The relationship we grew was new for me. The uniqueness is also part of why it is so impactful for me. I would typically avoid teachers outside of school hours, hoping they didn't recognize me. Undoubtedly, I would never see myself helping a teacher with yard work, but that changed as well," said the student.

"Her natural joy and sympathy for others are so evident that it would be difficult not to like her. She is always putting others before herself, and she cares. I know this might be surprising, but thank you, Mrs. Burkhart, you changed my high school experience," said the student.