LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Jennifer Chamoun was nominated by a spouse, William Johnston.

"You hear it all the time, 'You have that one teacher you remember for all of your life, the one that impacted you in some way.' Well, this teacher is my wife, a Special Education Educator," said Johnston. "I see it day end and day out. You may not see her raising hundreds of thousands of dollars or see her all over social media or some well-known name/organization, but she makes a strong impact every day that can never be measured."

She is a treasure to her community. There is not enough time to give all the examples of how she is changing lives. Not only does she push her kids to perform better academically, but she also helps them to blossom and be confident. She works little magic miracles and makes unbelievable bonds with her "littles." She can see things that no one else can see and helps her babies become confident, and each one believes that they are her favorite because they are, and not just within a year but forever. She works with kids with various needs, from language impairments, cerebral palsy, autism, developmentally delayed, behavioral problems, etc.

She has taken nonverbal students and helped them to find their voices. She learned You Are My Sunshine in sign language to connect with one of her students. She cries every time he does it. She also taught him to use a communication device. While others thought he had nothing to say because he could not speak, the student and Mrs. Chamoun proved everyone wrong, and he is on level! When one of her little guys was in kindergarten, he hated loud noises, singing, and being around people. She helped him cope and use strategies, and the following year, she had him singing on stage in a talent competition. Let's just say his mom still talks about this massive moment in their family. She helped to channel his inner music. Now he plays guitar and Twinkle Little Star on a keyboard. These two have an extraordinary bond. His family is so grateful and feels their little big guy is living a "normal" kid life. People don't seem to understand it can be like a grieving process when they find out their kid has a disability or is different.

"So many days she comes home with a full lunch box, and when I questioned her, I usually get 'I had to see my babies,' or 'My kids needed me more than I needed lunch.' So often, we buy extra food or needs for the kids," said Johnston.

Mrs. Chamoun will quietly sneak items into bookbags to ensure the families have what they need. She gets this from her mom, but during Valentine's, she handwrites at least 100 notes and makes baggies, each specific to what her kids love. No one can even help because she is so specific, and she says each bag has to be unique; everyone deserves one with their name, not just "Love, Mrs. Chamoun." She'll even send one to parents. Christmas is the same. She hand wraps books and gifts for each child very specific to them. She has a wealth of knowledge about her kids, which tightens their bond.

She feels blessed to have a passion and a career come together, even though it is hard. She keeps trucking through paperwork, late nights working, policies, and other things outside her control. Her work ethic is why she was nominated for 2019 Teacher of the Year and 2020 Ida S. Baker Diversity Teacher of the Year for her school.

When the pandemic hit, she went all in at 1000 percent by being there for her students' families, helping them adjust, making schedules, continuing FaceTime after hours, visiting homes through windows, or doing whatever she could. She was present for whatever they needed, whether it was a listening ear or advice. With a continued pandemic, she taught her kids in brick and mortar, online, and simultaneously!

"I'm not sure how she could juggle that, plus all her other duties and requirements," said Johnston. "My favorite time of day, which I call 'story time,' is watching her glow while talking about her students. She celebrates everything!"

These aren't the stories you hear in the headlines, but they are true and real to these kids and their families. One day these kids will be out in the world as adults, and Ms. Chamoun is trying to prepare them in every way she knows how to, sacrificing her time, money, and strength. She's planting seeds she may never see grow, but that's okay in her book. She is in one place daily, but she makes a difference for these kids and their families. One small step or change can mean a lifetime of positive ripples.