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Photo by Margaret Muza

Lauren Bolinski and Family

Lauren Bolinski (right) with her family

Teachers who go out of their way to make every student feel seen, heard and valued are the ones who remain in their students' hearts and memories forever. Lauren Bolinski sets a wonderful example by creating a warm, welcoming ambiance in her classroom to assess each of her student's needs, as she leads with kindness, empathy and patience. Known as "Ms. Bo" to her students, Bolinski was nominated by a former student for National Life Group's 2024-25 LifeChanger of the Year Award, an accolade recognizing outstanding leadership and influence among educators and school district employees across the country.

"Classrooms should be places people want to be," Bolinski explains. "If a space is harsh to me as an adult, that's certainly going to be the response that children have. We want kids at school to be invested in their time there. I consider the purpose behind everything in my classroom, be it a material, a resource or an aesthetic element."

Bolinski's classroom is thoughtfully curated with plants and natural light, bright colors, comfortable seating and relaxing music. She takes inventory of all her students' interests and learning styles while incorporating restorative and supportive practices into her class dynamic.

Students at Ease

Her teaching philosophy favors an environment where students know where things are, how to help themselves and have a sense of agency and autonomy. Plus, Bolinski's supplemental background as a yoga instructor gives her the know-how with bringing her students to ease. "Every day I'm learning something from the kids I teach," Bolinski affirms. "Kids know when adults are insincere, so you have to be someone who genuinely cares."

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To help all of her students feel represented, regardless of age, Bolinski has them bring and hang up baby pictures or photos of their pets. "That's what a home looks like," she attests. "You have the things that you value and that are reminders of what's important to you displayed in your home."

A Milwaukee native, Bolinski actually had no intentions of becoming a teacher when she was young. She studied English in college with hopes of working in journalism before switching to pre-med. Once her niece was born, however, everything changed. "Her entry into this world inspired me," Bolinski recalls. "From the very beginning, I thought about her development and how I wanted to be an important part of her life and help her grow."

Becoming a Teacher

Bolinski subsequently left pre-med and enrolled in night school at Cardinal Stritch University to become a teacher. She has since let her niece, who is now 16, know the impact she made on Bolinski's trajectory. "I'm really fortunate to have been able to spend so much time together with her," Bolinski continues. "She really taught me a lot about life in general, about values, about what matters."

Since beginning her career as an English teacher at Janesville's Craig High School in 2011, Bolinski has taught as young as fourth grade and as old as twelfth grade. She was at Stone Bank Elementary School in Oconomowoc for seven years followed by Maryland Avenue Montessori School in Milwaukee for six years.

Bolinski recalls a few years back when a former Stone Bank student, named Emma, reached out to her asking if she could take in a couple guinea pigs from an unexpected litter. She did, and Emma ended up being the one to nominate Bolinski for the LifeChanger of the Year Award, saying, "Although I haven't reached out to her in a bit, I will never forget everything she has done for me, my peers, and my family. She made a huge positive impact on my life, and I will forever be grateful for her.

"I was shocked and surprised," Bolinski remembers feeling when she found out. "I am who I am in all the places that I exist, and I never expected anything like that; I just want all my kids to be happy." She adds, "I always tell my students that once they're my kid, they're always my kid. If you need something, reach out to me and I will help you."

Bolinski starts a new position at South Division High School this fall, where she will be teaching classes in the National Academy Foundation program, all focused on creating equal opportunities for students to be prepared for college and career paths. The first day of school is September 2.