LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

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Jeff Grant

Position: Science Teacher
School: Downers Grove North High School
School District: Community High School District 99
City, State: Downers Grove , IL

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Music that Describes Jeff

Jeff Grant was nominated by his spouse, Gretchen Grant.

Mr. Grant is an incredibly hard-working teacher. He is always thinking about his students and trying to provide an authentic learning experience for them. He has partnered with the Morten Arboretum to work with real scientists in a semester-long research project. This project has also led to a partnership with the Downers Grove Township to create an experimental prairie for students to collect real data on pollinators, diversity, and the resilience of native species. The general public now uses this prairie as a nice place to observe nature. He also looks to get kids on field trips to connect them to how their science education can turn into a future career. He takes them to health science career days, cadaver labs, and real laboratories. 

The National Center of Science Education has accepted Mr. Grant as a teacher ambassador. Over the last three years, he has worked with other teachers nationwide to create science lessons that get kids more involved in scientific analysis. He has presented these lessons to several teachers both in the district and nationally. He now mentors five teachers from different states as they implement these lessons in their classrooms. 

He spearheads two big school-wide science-themed days in his own school: Mole Day and March Mammal Madness. For these activities, he works to get kids excited about science and truly follow their nerdy side. These school-wide events draw more than 250 kids to attend on their own time and have become the highlight of their scientific careers. 

When Mr. Grant gets close to the end of the year, he writes every single one of his students a personal letter about how excellent they are as people. He finds at least one positive thing to say about each kid. He then gives these letters out on the last day of school along with a prize giveaway where kids can cash in the BioBucks they have gained over the year. 

To say he cares about his kids, school, and fellow teachers is an understatement. He lives and breathes science and wants everyone to enjoy it as much as he does. 

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Comments (4)

Lindsay R Posted over a year ago

I was a student of his over 4 years ago, and he is one teacher that I still remember without fail. His love for science was truly contagious for people like me who were still trying to figure out what they wanted to do as a career. I appreciated his stories about his journey through college. Because of the exposure he had given students like me in his class (one being AP Biology), I have been able to participate in research involving gel electrophoresis, western blotting, and ELISA throughout my time in graduate school. Mr. Grant is the most deserving of this award because he does not teach simply as a way to make money and get through life, but he teaches to inspire everyone he comes into contact with.

Bharath Rajan Posted over a year ago

I had the unique opportunity of having Mr. Grant as a swim coach for 4 years and as a teacher for my AP biology class. He always has a positive attitude that was infectious and pushed me to be better then I believed myself to be in every way possible at that time. He was an incredible presence in my life during those formative years in High School. Mr. Grant is an absolutely rare human being that I feel fortunate to have had as a teacher. I truly believe he deserves every praise and award coming his way because of how hard he works in being an innovative educator and constantly going above and beyond for his students.

Joel Cesario Posted over a year ago

Jeff - your passion for science, and ability to connect with students at DGN, is off the charts. The DGN community is so lucky to have you. Joel Cesario.

Nader Najjar Posted over a year ago

I have had the pleasure of working with Jeff Grant for seven years. During this time, I have witnessed his unwavering dedication to his students, always seeking to provide them with a hands-on, engaging learning experience. He has partnered with outside organizations to create a unique research project and experimental prairie, which has been a valuable resource for both students and the public. He has also taken his students on exciting field trips to real laboratories and health science career days, giving them a glimpse into the future possibilities of science education. Jeff's passion for science is contagious, and he goes above and beyond to make science fun and accessible to everyone. His commitment to his students, school, and fellow teachers makes him a deserving candidate for the Lifechanger of the Year award.