LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Jennifer Passler was nominated by two students. The following profile contains text from both nominations.

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"It was my first day of junior year at Arrowhead High School, and I had just begun to dread the day ahead of me as summer's warm, sun-filled days faded. I started my day by preparing myself to listen to the ongoing readings of the syllabus and class expectations for the next seven hours on a loop as though they were a broken record. As I walked into my fourth-hour class (I expected no difference), I got comfortable and ready to listen to the same speech all over again. Although, my ears perked as I listened and realized I was listening to something completely different–new even," said the student.

"Mental health awareness. That's what Mrs. Passler, my American literature teacher, started talking about. 'Students can only be stable academically if they are mentally first,' was one of the first things she said to the class shortly after the bell indicated the start of the period. She continued with how mental health affects us as students and how we can learn to cope and overcome such a struggle. I sat in my seat and listened with awe; teachers addressed this subject occasionally but not to the extent that it became a focal point," said the student.

"For a student who struggled with mental health and did not know at the time how to cope best as outlet options were limited, I felt heard. I felt I had a safe place to talk if I needed to. Beyond that, I felt like I had a safe person to talk to," said the student.

"She didn't stop there either. She went through different mindfulness activities each day at the beginning of class. One mindful activity I especially remember was when we closed our eyes and thought–almost a guided meditation. I was able to reflect and think. I felt clarity," said the student.

"In all, these activities helped us to learn about ourselves and what we need. I know they helped me so much. These activities allowed me to better myself and dig into what I needed. With all of Mrs. Passler's help, I was able to start and end the semester as entirely different people," said the student.

"Above all of that, though, Mrs. Passler wanted the best for every single one of her students. You could tell how much she really cared by the way she always checked in and shared a smile with us every day. She was different from any teacher I have had before. She made me feel heard, encouraged me to smile, and honestly had my best interest at heart. That has made Mrs. Passler an outstanding teacher to me, and I will never be able to thank her enough for all she did," said the student.

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"In sophomore year, I took British Literature and met Mrs. Passler, a teacher who changed my life for the better," said another student. "When I would email Mrs. Passler with questions about our class work, she would always end her response with a smiley face. It made my day, so I would reply with a smiley face because they always made me smile, even on a not-so-good day. On the first day, she asked if she had any sophomores in her class, and a few of us raised our hands. She said, 'Oh, my sophomore sweeties.' I took that name with pride and told everyone about her."

"One time, I brought my tarot cards to school. Mrs. Passler walked past me, asked me about them, and asked if I could give her a reading once. From then on, I was so excited to attend her class. I would go up to her before class and tell her about the crystals I had brought to school, and she would make a comment about them that made sense because she was just as interested in them as I was. At one point, I asked if she remembered my dad because she also taught him, and when I told her, she was so excited to be teaching me, too," said the student.

"I knew I never had to be scared to talk to her in class because she would never shoot your idea down. She would say, 'Oh, I never thought of that. I love it,' or she would start grinning at you and say, 'Oh yes.' I always felt comfortable with her; she wanted the best for us," said the student.

"She let me learn in the way that worked for me. She let me take notes in my own way and never told me not to do something, and she was excited about what she was teaching. Even at the end of the day, she was still so happy to be teaching," said the student.

"When the semester ended, I was sad I wouldn't see her every day at school. She was the highlight of my day. And then, when I started my junior year, I got off 10 minutes early, so I would go and see her to talk. She would always listen to what I had to say. She moved to the lunch room, and I saw her every day I walked by. I always said hi, and she would look up and go, 'Oh hello,' and even the quick interaction made my day," said the student. "Thank you, Mrs. Passler, for always being there for me and improving my day."