Deb Wolinsky is one of four Indianapolis Public Schools teachers named as the first recipients of the Hubbard Life-Changing Teacher Award, and each received a $25,000 prize, announced United Way of Central Indiana.

In almost four decades of teaching, Deb Wolinsky's caring for each student was a common theme of nominators. And, it's the kind of caring that comes without an expiration date on commencement day.

One former student related how she even returned to her math teacher for help passing her first college math course. Another recalls how her teacher devoted every Tuesday and Thursday to checking her homework. Without that help, the student doubts she would have graduated.

Yet another student credits Wolinsky with sparking in her a love for service-learning. Wolinsky encouraged the young girl to join Key Club. When her single mother could not afford the dues, Wolinsky paid them.

Though the student's family sought help from various human service providers including the Julian Center, a Salvation Army shelter and Dayspring Shelter, Wolinsky's student relates that she was "strengthened by Ms. Wolinsky to continue in service projects to others, while I was homeless myself."

After graduating from Broad Ripple, the student went on to college at Butler where her teacher's influence inspired her to rekindle a Kiwanis collegiate club. She subsequently supervised more than 11,000 students in Indiana University's Bloomington service learning program and even started a new nonprofit organization that provides personal development workshops for Indianapolis Public Schools students.

"Ms. Wolinsky has not only made a difference to my life, she has strengthened me to mentor others," wrote her former student.

Wolinsky's impact on students amounts to more than gratitude. It shows up in meaningful data too. Over the past five years, every one of her graduating seniors has been accepted into a post-secondary institution.