CCSD teacher wins ‘LifeChanger of the Year’ award

Accountability for students, building her peers and respect for everyone’s culture. Those are three of the reasons, D.L. Dusty Dickens Elementary School engineering teacher Ekuwah Moses was chosen as the Grand Prize Winner for the 2023-2024 National Life Group LifeChanger of the Year Program. 

Ekuwah was recognized in front of more than 700 students and staff during a surprise assembly Friday, April 12. She received a $10,000 prize, which includes a $5,000 individual prize and a $5,000 donation to Dickens Elementary School. Ekuwah also received an all-expenses paid trip to Maui. She was selected out of more than 620 nominations for teachers and school employees nationwide.

“We all know the most important factor in student success is the teacher,” said Deputy Superintendent Melissa Gutierrez during the assembly. “Thank you for everything you do to inspire our children, to spark their interests in such an exciting field of education. We appreciate you and we thank you.”

Ekuwah’s impact on her school community has inspired students and given them the confidence to succeed in the classroom and beyond. She developed an Engineering Wall of Fame outside of her classroom filled with student reflections and photographs. She has established herself as a leader for colleagues by hosting book studies focusing on integrating STEM across the curriculum to create deeper cohesion in STEM education at her school.

“After 23 years of teaching, I never imagined I would be teaching engineering. It wasn’t a part of my life’s plan, but it has worked out to be the absolute best.” Ekuwah said as she received the award, thanking all who have supported her. “Teaching is so much fun. It’s rewarding. What I love about it the most is planting seeds because you never know when they’re going to bloom, you never know when they’re going to blossom and you never know where they’re going to blossom. I believe in each and every one of the students, and thank you students for making my job so fun.”

National Life Group annually recognizes a LifeChanger of the Year to educators and school employees who make a difference in the lives of students by exemplifying excellence, positive influence and leadership. 

View more photos of Ekuwah’s LifeChanger of the Year Award school celebration here.