"I have never met a more positive, devoted educator than Lisa Robinson," Lois Russell wrote when she nominated the Dover Bay Vice Principal as today's Neighbourhood Hero.

Last year, after being a "good, average student" through her previous school years, Lois' daughter began skipping classes regularly and nothing she did seemed to make a difference until Lisa entered the picture. That's when they began working together as a team, mother, daughter and vice principal.

"Lisa was never negative," Lois recalled. "Every time we met over a problem, she always had at least two possible solutions to suggest and then it was up to my daughter and me to choose the one that worked for us."

The ongoing support made the difference and now, after a little slip at the beginning of this year, her daughter is attending class regularly and encouraging her friends to do the same so they can all graduate together next spring ... a seed well planted by one vice principal.

Lois also wanted to acknowledge Lisa not only for helping to solve her daughter's problems but also for helping her son indirectly. With all that stress gone, she feels she is being a better mom to her son. Good work has a way of ricocheting through life, doesn't it?

Of course Lisa was delighted when she heard she had been nominated as a Neighbourhood Hero. It's always feels good for an educator, or anyone else, to be acknowledged for a job well done.

Being the vice principal, the school's problem cases always end up in Lisa's office and she seems to welcome the opportunity to redirect all those negative energies towards more positive goals.

"It takes courage for anyone to create positive change in their life," she mused. "Our role is to help them believe they can do it.

"There's nothing more delightful, at graduation, than to see someone who has worked really hard, and you know that there had been times when things were looking rocky, but there they are, walking across that stage ... I feel fortunate to be in this profession."

I asked Lisa to name just one Neighbourhood Hero among all the teachers she had in school. After a long pause, she named Mr. Croft, her Grade 10 English teacher at Woodlands.

"He probably doesn't even remember me," she mused, "but he had a major impact on my life."

So thanks to Mr. Croft and other teachers and, I'm sure, parents, friends and neighbours, Lisa Robinson was able to help Lois Russell's daughter who in turn is helping her friends stay in school so they can all graduate together. And of course these kids will go on to affect dozens of other people over the years ... and round and round it goes.

By the way, Lois' daughter has always struggled with math. In fact, former Neighbourhood Hero, Bill Pineo, was her one-on-one math coach from Grade 2 to Grade 7. Bill will be pleased to hear that on her final Grade 11 math exam, his protégé got an "A".

Ain't life grand!

So, who are the Neighbourhood Heroes in your life? Who are the teachers, neighbours, friends, parents or others who did or said something that made a big difference in your life?

You can get a Neighbourhood Heroes nomination form at www.nhero.org, the Lotto Centre at Country Club Mall or by calling 741-7499.

All nominations received before Dec 20 will be entered in a draw to ...