4 Oregon Teachers Nominated For LifeChanger Of The Year Award

HILLSBORO, OR — Four Oregon teachers, including one in Hillsboro, were nominated for the National Life Group Foundation's LifeChanger of the Year award for 2017-2018, which acknowledges the top K-12 teachers and school district staff who stand out among their peers as the best examples of excellence, leadership, and positive influence on students.

Hundreds of educators across the nation are nominated annually, with only 17 individual LifeChanger of the Year award recipients selected by the National Life Group's six-member selection committee. Winners will be revealed this spring.

This year's Oregon nominees are:

• Jeff Gower — Century High School, Hillsboro School District;

• Susan Duncan — Meadow Park Middle School, Beaverton School District;

• Deanna Yucho — Holleydale Elementary School, Gresham-Barlow School District; and

• Oralia Vargas — St. Paul Elementary School, St. Paul School District #45.

Nominated by school officials and parents alike, the nominees are considered based on the following criteria considered by the selection committee:

• Make a positive impact in the lives of students;
• Enhance their school or district’s atmosphere, culture and pride;
• Demonstrate exemplary leadership at the school and/or district level;
• Possess a proven record of professional excellence;
• Show commitment to building a nurturing environment that supports learning; and
• Adhere to the highest moral and ethical standards.

Gower, a proficiency-based learning teacher at Century who manages more than 300 students in the school's Options program, was nominated by Century Principal Martha Guise.

Providing online-, offline-, and proficiency-based classes that provide students graduation options, Gower helped Century attain a 91 percent graduation rate in 2017, Guise said in her nomination statement.

"I have known Jeff Gower for 20 years. I know his kids and spouse, and I have worked with him as a teacher, assistant principal, and as the principal of Century High School," Guise said. "There are very few people in this profession with as true a heart for teaching and students as Jeff. I am deeply honored to work with an educator of his caliber.

“Every student can find a place in his program," she explained. "He works with me to find a way to celebrate every time a senior attains their diploma, and they can feel that sense of achievement and know that they can overcome obstacles to achieve a goal. Mr. Gower is a coach, counselor, teacher and gentle voice of reason, coaxing students back to school.”

Gower has the chance to win one of the following awards:

• One Grand Prize Winner will receive $10,000 to be shared with their school/district.
• Four Grand Prize Finalists will receive $5,000 to be shared with their school/district.
• 10 LifeChanger Award Winners will receive $3,000 to be shared with their school/district.
• One Spirit Award is given to the nominee whose community demonstrates the most support for their nomination. The winner will receive $5,000 to be shared with their school/district.
• One Spotlight Award is given each year to a nominee in a specific discipline. For 2017-2018, the award was given to Debra Santiago, who works as a secretary and bookkeeper in Orlando, FL. She received $5,000 to share with her school, Timber Lakes Elementary School.

According to National Life Group officials, "Winners are announced via surprise award ceremonies held at their schools. The grand prize finalists will also be honored at a national awards ceremony in spring 2018 in Bermuda, where the Grand Prize Winner will be revealed."

To check out Gower's LifeChanger of the Year nominee profile, for more information on the LifeChanger of the Year program, or to nominate someone from your school community, visit www.LifeChangeroftheYear.com.

Images via National Life Group Foundation, LifeChanger of the Year