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DIFFERENCE MAKER AWARD

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Nominate your FOCUS Facilitator as a “Difference Maker!”

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The Facilitator chosen as the “Difference Maker” will receive $1,000 cash to be used however they choose. The “Difference Maker” will be chosen based on their school’s activities, their level of involvement with FOCUS, and the creation of successful prevention activities and events.

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Eligibility Requirements:

  • The FOCUS Facilitator must be nominated using the Difference Maker form below

  • The winner must be a facilitator at a registered FOCUS school (register your school here)

  • The deadline to nominate your Facilitator as the 2026 Difference Maker is March 27, 2026 at 5:00 pm.

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Judging Criteria:

  • The school’s FOCUS activities that were led by the Facilitator.

  • The Facilitator's level of involvement with FOCUS throughout the year.

  • The Facilitator has demonstrated dedication and commitment to creating successful prevention activities and events.

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Winner Will Receive:

The selected Difference Maker will receive $1,000 cash to be used however they choose.

2026 "Difference Maker" Recipient:
Dr. Anna Laura Childers

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The FOCUS Difference Maker Award honors individuals whose passion, enthusiasm, and leadership have resulted in meaningful success in the prevention of adolescent risk behaviors within their school and community. Dr. Childers exemplifies the mission of FOCUS through her dedication to student leadership, character development, and creating a positive school culture at Excel High School.

 

Dr. Anna Laura Childers – High School ELA Teacher & Peer Mentor Sponsor & FOCUS Facilitator

 

Dr. Childers has been an educator for six years and currently serves as a high school English Language Arts teacher and Peer Mentor sponsor at Excel High School. She is a graduate of J.U. Blacksher School in Uriah, Alabama, and holds a Bachelor of Science in English and Legal Studies and a Master of Science in Strategic Communication from Troy University, as well as a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, Technology and Policy Studies from The University of Alabama.

 

For the past five years, Dr. Childers has led the Peer Mentor program, which has been actively involved in FOCUS for the past three consecutive years. Under her leadership, the group has grown into a dynamic student organization that promotes leadership, service, and positive decision-making across campus.

 

Dr. Childers and her student leaders coordinate a wide range of impactful initiatives throughout the year. These include new student orientations, Red Ribbon Week activities, Random Acts of Kindness Week, Teacher Appreciation Week, and a school wide ACAP kickoff pep rally. The group also leads service projects such as Operation Christmas Child, volunteering at the Monroe County Extraordinary Olympics, hosting an Elementary Easter Egg Hunt for over 250 students, and supporting a neighboring school through the Adopt-A-Tiger program. Additional outreach efforts include Trick or Treat Street, Prom Promise presentations focused on the dangers of drugs and alcohol, and mentoring younger students transitioning from middle to high school.

 

Recently, Dr. Childers has transitioned the Peer Mentor program into a character education group in partnership with the Hope Institute. This initiative will expand student impact by focusing on self-worth, confidence, healthy relationships, smart choices, and positive character development, further aligning with the goals of FOCUS to prevent adolescent risk behaviors.

 

Dr. Childers is married to Robby, the band director at Excel High School, and they have two daughters, Allie Kate and Mollie Ann. They reside in Monroeville, Alabama.

 

Dr. Childers’ leadership, innovation, and commitment to students have created lasting change within her school and community. Congratulations to Dr. Anna Laura Childers on being named the 2026 FOCUS Difference Maker of the Year!

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