LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Christine Harris was nominated by Cameron Harris, a family member.

Mrs. Harris is the teacher that all children need. She strives to create an environment where social and emotional learning, trauma-informed teaching, and inclusion are the focus. Mrs. Harris is the unicorn teacher. She high-fives, hugs, and holds hands. It would be tough to find a student in the school that does not know the unicorn teacher of Epperly Heights. She has dressed as a fictional character daily for the last two years. Her students are excited to come to class and to imagine with her. 

Mrs. Harris' class is where many students with behavioral problems learn to regulate and grow. She builds a relationship with her students of trust and love. They know she will be there even after they have moved on to another class. She shares everything she is and has with her students daily to ensure that each child knows how precious they are. No child is left ignored or unloved. Her goal is for every student to remember they are worth caring for.

To better serve her students, she is currently pursuing her Master's degree in social and emotional learning. Mrs. Harris teaches outside the box. She writes grants for hands-on, play-based pieces to enrich the learning in her class and create a lifelong love for education. She uses movement and experience to teach without tables and chairs. Her class is full of sensory-rich experiences where students explore textures and sounds to help them feel what the world can be. She is on the floor, doing yoga, meditating, dancing, and exploring to involve the whole child in their own learning. She is inventive and innovative.

Mrs. Harris is an integral part of her school and district. She is the team lead for kindergarten in her school and a member of several district committees. Mrs. Harris seeks opportunities to train at the school, district, and state levels in trauma-informed education, sensory-informed education, and social and emotional learning. Mrs. Harris is the current Mid-Del District Teacher of the Year and was recently nominated for the Medal of Excellence in Education. She was featured in March 2023 as Thunder Teacher of the Game.