In addition to being a changemaker in her community—running Port Chester Middle School’s pantry to ensure students and families are nourished—Allison is best known for her role as a teacher.

So, what is a teacher?

Not just someone who instructs, but someone who guides, inspires, and leads with care and compassion.

Thankfully for these middle school students, Allison checks all those boxes—and more.

As a result, Port Chester Middle Schoolers will grow to be leaders.

Just by speaking with her, you can tell that Allison deeply cherishes her role as the Family and Consumer Science teacher at the middle school.

But the most special part of Allison is her deep love for her students.

Her care is evident in her desire to make a lasting impact on their lives—one that goes far beyond simply providing food.

“Something I feel very strongly about is that if they can be part of helping others, it makes them feel okay to ask for help themselves.”

Allison doesn’t just focus on her students’ immediate needs—she is also determined to help them grow into impactful community members.

When speaking about projects such as the Giving Garden (which grows organic produce for members of the community), Allison has a clear lesson plan in mind for her students:

“I don’t think it’s just nutrition that we’re helping, I think we’re building a community of people who support each other.”

And her favorite part of all?

“I think the best part of it all is all of them working together to do it.”

Her efforts nurture a place where her students not only learn but also grow up to thrive as changemakers.

One of the foundations Allison uses is food. Through the school pantry’s partnership with Feeding Westchester, she ensures that her students and their families have enough to eat.

She has planted a seed in her students so they can one day grow and plant their own seeds in the community.

This shows that Allison will do whatever it takes to ensure her students—and their families—never go hungry.