Chloe Shroff, Theatre Director of Cypress Creek High School, was nominated by Timothy Estelle for the National Life Group Life Changer of the Year Award.

Head Director Timothy Estelle nominated coworker Chloe Shroff, recognizing her as an amazing leader, teacher, mentor and life changer.

“I wasn’t surprised when I saw that her nomination went through,” Estelle said. “She’s a fantastic educator. She’s a great colleague, kids love her, school loves her, she makes a huge contribution to what we do here in theatre, but also across the campus.”

Shroff has been a theatre teacher at Cy Creek for 4 years, and became a director after 2 years. Finding out she was considered a life changer was a true eye opener for her.

“When I found out that I was nominated for the life changer award, I was really shocked…” Shroff said. “The part that shocked me the most, though, wasn’t the nomination itself. It was actually whenever I went to the profile, and I realized how many students had commented on the wall”

Before the pandemic, Shroff had obtained multiple acting contracts, paving her way to becoming an actress. Due to COVID, all the contracts fell through. and no one could do shows.

“The reason I tumbled into the education side of theatre was because of COVID.” Shroff said. “So then where was theatre still happening? It was still happening in high schools.”

This was new, but Shroff was determined to continue working in theatre, having so much love for the art.

“It was so different for me, a real awakening of ‘I can love this again.'” Shroff said. “It doesn’t have to be about being the best. You just have to have that level of hunger to be successful.”

Working in a new environment with students altered her way of thinking, giving her an open mind and understanding of new things.

“My mind set really shifted.” Shroff said. “It became more about the art. It became more about living and breathing all of these wonderful, beautiful things that we talk about, but we don’t actually we don’t actually live in and practice.”

Working in theatre education, Shroff never imagined that she made that much of a difference in the lives of her students.

Gage Campbell, senior theatre student, feels that she’s had an impact on his flourishing career.

“When I came from middle school, I had to figure out how to be more professional, being in a new high school setting.” Campbell said. “Shroff is very understanding, so this transition was easy because she’s very professional, and a good person to work with.”

Shroff promoted individuality amongst her students, whether this means sending them to do things on their own, or promotion of free thought in the theatre community.

“I figured out really quickly that I had to figure out how to do things for myself.” Campbell said. “Shroff taught me to really take my time and not rush through things, so I took time to actually figure things out that otherwise in middle school, my director would do for me.”

Shroff had realized that in this high school community, she will have an impact on students’ lives, and can only hope that it’s been positive, and she’s become an important part of their lives.

“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.”

Stephanie Stafford, sophomore theatre student, feels that Shroff has played an important part in her character development inside and outside of school walls.

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

Shroff comes from an acting background, and Stafford has only ever done the tech side of theatre, and with more exposure and closeness with Shroff, she’s learned to be open to leaving her comfort zone.

“She’s guided that change for me very well.” Stafford said. “She’s provided me [with] the right resources on making that shift from tech to acting smooth. And it’s different, but it’s challenged me. She’s also challenged my independence, while still being a helping hand.”

Teaching students opened a special place in Shroff’s heart, including the desire to have a family of her own, and the ability to contribute to the world.

“Before I started teaching, I didn’t want to have kids.” Shroff said “That’s something I never felt my husband and I needed to explore. Then whenever I started working with these young people and realizing how important it was to put out better people into the world, it made me want to have that experience in my personal life as well as at home.”

Being around high schoolers, Shroff has seen all kinds of people walk in and out of her doors, and they’ve taught her more than she thought they could.

“I feel like they’ve taught me not to take life so seriously.” Shroff said. “They’re not afraid to laugh in a way that when you become an adult, we forget to laugh, and they just teach me that it’s okay to have joy in my life. They’ve been a profound joy in my life.”