School counselor Richard Silva of East Providence, Rhode Island, has been nominated for a 2025-2026 LifeChanger of the Year Award. Photo credit: National Life Group
I am always excited to share the news that an outstanding educator has earned accolades for the work they do in public school classrooms. Today, I share that Richard Silva, a school counselor in Rhode Island, has been named one of 74 nominees for the 2025-2026 LifeChanger of the Year Award distributed by the National Life Group.
Since 2011, the National life Group has recognized and rewarded more than 8,600 K-12 teachers, administrators, and school employees in more than 2,300 school districts across the country. The prestigious award recognizes educators and support personnel who exemplify excellence, leadership, and positive influence in their school community. The winner of the award will garner a $20,000 grand prize, to be shared with the school, and several smaller prizes.
Richard Silva works at East Providence High School in East Providence, Rhode Island. His career as an educator and counselor spans 39 years. during these years, he has been a long-time advisor to both the Student Council and the National Honor Society, where he mentors young leaders and supervises numerous community-based service projects.
As a school counselor, Richard is dedicated to ensuring that every student feels valued and supported. He introduced celebration luncheons for recipients of Student of the Month awards, and he also established numerous awards to recognize teachers and administrators. He also organizes annual appreciation events, including Coffee with a Cop for the school resource officers and weeklong celebrations for the principal, assistant principals, and CTE director.
In addition, the honored counselor is famous for his weekly Wednesday trivia quizzes, which often features fun facts about school staff members. The quiz has become a highly anticipated tradition, with winners receiving prize packages created by and paid for by Richard.
Richard’s influence extends beyond the east Providence High School campus. He has served on both the New England and National Advisory Boards for the College Board. And he collaborated with then-State Representative (now Secretary of State) Greg Amore to advocate for free AP (Advanced Placement) testing for Rhode Island students who receive free or reduced lunch.
“My biggest reward has been working with the thousands of students I’ve met over my career,” declares Richard. “As a school counselor, I would like to think I played a positive role in helping my students start the next chapter of their lives,” he concludes.
To learn more about Richard Silva, click on this link to an article about him published by the East Bay News Group.
