LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Kelly Meeks was nominated by a colleague, Lauren Cramer. 

"I have taught with Kelly for the past three years, and I have not found another teacher to be as knowledgeable and passionate about their career as she is," said Cramer. "She has the drive to see her students excel in mathematics and achieve what they believe they are incapable of. Kelly always goes above and beyond to ensure that each student has an equal opportunity to learn, regardless of their learning abilities. Kelly is intentional with her teaching style so all students can understand the vocabulary used to explain mathematical concepts. She is highly qualified to teach her math students and possesses skills and talents that greatly benefit them by enriching their learning experiences. I have seen her students grow tremendously throughout this school year, and they tell me for the first time in their life they enjoy going to math class because Mrs. Meeks explains it in a way they can understand. I have never seen students more eager to solve equations."

Mrs. Meeks is a STEM ambassador and carefully implements real-world applications into her lessons that will encourage her students to develop the 21st-century skills they will need to succeed. She has earned her district STEM certification and promotes a STEM mindset among her students. Mrs. Meeks is a Georgia State Finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching. She carefully integrates higher-order thinking questions into her instruction to promote independent, critical thinking among her seventh graders.

"We teach several of the same students, and I know they thrive in my science class because of the time she devotes to their education in math," said Cramer. "She is a risk-taker in providing opportunities for her students and thinks outside the box in ways many teachers do not consider. For example, I recently observed Kelly's students discovering the Pythagorean Theorem. Kelly taped large right triangles on the floor in the hallway and led her students in discovering the formula to solve for missing sides of right triangles."

Mrs. Meeks spends endless hours perfecting her craft by researching new and exciting instructional strategies to help her students stay engaged in the classroom.

"I have witnessed firsthand the time and dedication she pours into the activities she provides for her students," said Cramer.

She aims to make her lessons educational, fun, and memorable for her students. Mrs. Meeks recently had her students build castles to demonstrate their mastery of solid geometric figures, volume, and surface area. She also developed a lesson that included black lights and glowsticks for students to interact physically with a life-size coordinate plane, with the students acting as the coordinate points.

While Mrs. Meeks is very knowledgeable in her area of expertise, her personality sets her aside from other teachers. She exhibits the characteristics of a team player who is willing to lead others. Mrs. Meeks is a core member of our school leadership team, and she currently serves as our seventh-grade team leader and has molded us into an effective team that we have not been in the past without her leadership and guidance. Her personality models what a teacher should be inside and outside the classroom, and she is respected, valued, and admired by all around her.

"She is one of the most compassionate teachers I have ever met, and I aim to be the teacher that she is. Her unique talents and qualifications make her an inspiration to all, and if you are searching for a true LifeChanger, you have found her," said Cramer.