Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a teacher because there were too many children that had behavioral challenges and they had difficulties being in their general education classroom. I started out teaching and general education and chose to pursue my special education license. The best compliment that I ever had was a student that told me he had never had a teacher like him before me. He was an eighth grader. Every student deserves an education and a feeling of belonging in their school.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

I have had too many memorable teaching experiences to tell you about just one. I have had students that were never meant to finish high school go to community college and get an associates degree. I have had students that were in my self-contained classrooms want to go to outdoor school so badly that as a 6th grader, they decided to take a risk and join their general education class for the first time in 7 years. I have so many students that have made me a better teacher and a much better person

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would love to start a preschool that focuses on inclusion. Where special education children benefit from their typical peers and typical peers learn empathy for children that have disabilities. There are not enough opportunities for children with disabilities to attend preschool. They often struggle as kindergartners because they have never been taught learning ready behaviors. So many preschoolers come to elementary school unprepared to learn. I want to change that.