Education

By Gionna C. Santee, Cypress Creek High School (A High School Journalism Network Collaboration)

Cypress Creek High School theater director Chloe Shroff was nominated for the 2024-2025 National Life Group LifeChanger of the Year Award.

National Life is a financial services company that serves K-12 educators nationwide. The National Life Group LifeChanger of the Year is an annual program recognizing K-12 educators and school employees who are making a significant difference in the lives of students by exemplifying excellence, positive influence and leadership. LifeChanger of the Year nominees are eligible to win one of 17 cash prizes valued at up to $10,000.

Shroff was nominated for the award by Timothy Estelle, Cypress Creek head theater director.

“I wasn’t surprised when I saw that her nomination was accepted,” Estelle said. “She’s a fantastic educator. She’s a great colleague, kids love her, the entire school loves her. She not only makes a huge contribution to what we do in theater but also across the campus.

Mobile Sidebar Ad

Shroff has been a theater teacher at Cypress Creek for four years and became a director after two years. Finding out that she was considered a LifeChanger was a true eye-opener for her.

“When I found out that I was nominated for the LifeChanger award, I was really shocked,” Shroff said. “The part that shocked me most wasn’t the nomination itself, it was actually when I went to the profile on the LifeChanger website and saw my students’ comments on the wall.”

Shroff previously worked as an actress before becoming a theater teacher at Cypress Creek. She never imagined that she could make such a difference in the lives of her students after shifting into theater education.

Stephanie Stafford, Cypress Creek sophomore, feels that Shroff has played an important role in her character development inside and outside of school walls.

Mobile Sidebar Ad

“With her, I’ve learned how to be strong and independent and also how to speak up for myself,” Stafford said. “Mrs. Shroff helped me to become more confident in speaking my mind and sharing my creativity.”

Shroff promotes individuality among her students by promoting free thought in the theater community.

“I don’t want to be presumptuous, but I will say what I hope my impact has been,” Shroff said. “What I hope to see in my students is to see them become better people than they were when they stepped through the door.”

Editor's Note: This article was written by Gionna C. Santee, a student at Cypress Creek High School in Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, through a partnership between My Neighborhood News and the District as part of an established high school journalism network collaboration. My Neighborhood News is a proud supporter of local youth and warmly welcomes the opportunity to provide a platform for students to share their work.