LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Grace Bielski was nominated by an anonymous student.

"As the years passed in high school, every day seemed to go by slower, and the days were harder to endure. At home, it was difficult because of family issues, I was struggling mentally with depression, and I hated opening up to people, even my close friends, because I didn’t want to burden them with my personal problems. It felt embarrassing," said the student.

"My junior year was my first 'normal' high school year because of the COVID pandemic. It was hard to adapt because I was one of the few kids who learned virtually all year as a sophomore, and I was immediately intimidated by everyone. I remember walking into the choir room during fifth period and feeling anxious because of the number of students and familiar faces," said the student.

"That’s when I heard Mrs. Bielski’s vibrant and joyful voice greet me, 'Hi! It’s nice to see you again,'" said the student. "I always remembered feeling safe in her presence. When I had her during my freshman and sophomore years of choir, she always had a bright smile and a naturally outgoing personality that bounced around the room affecting all of us."

"It was a large class of 50-60 students, but she seemed to know every single person on a personal level. As the days and weeks went by, there were days when we had already learned the music and had free time to spare. That’s when we would have 'girl talk,'" said the student. "Mrs. Bielski would listen to our issues and comfort and validate however we were feeling."

"One choir day, I remember everyone sharing personal stories in their life about family or personal relationships. Everyone felt comfortable and safe. I felt safe. As people were sharing, my friend whispered to me, 'I can’t believe so many people have to go through things like this,'" said the student.

"My heart also ached for all of the girls in the room sharing because not only were they brave enough to share, but I could relate to most of them. That gave me a reassuring feeling that I wasn’t alone and that many people could relate to me. Mrs. Bielski gave us an outlet, a place to just rest and express ourselves and not feel like we were burdening others," said the student.

"She allows us to open up and creates a space in which everyone feels safe. I’ve never met such an empathetic and compassionate person that showed so much love and respect for their students. She would always remind us of how proud she was of us," said the student.

"Not only is she patient and warmhearted, but she is also extremely dedicated as an educator. Mrs. Bielski always made sure we understood the music and the meaning behind it. She exposed us to different types of music and showed us pieces that were close to her heart," said the student. "In all, she was the best teacher I've ever had. She has the most contagious laugh and the kindest heart. Thank you for appreciating and listening to us, Mrs. Bielski."