Amanda Snyder

Tell us why you became a teacher

I loved the teachers I had in elementary school and also loved teaching other people, specifically younger kids, different things growing up. It’s a great feeling to see someone become so happy, proud, and excited to learn something new, especially if it’s been a struggle before.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

My most memorable teaching experience was having a class of 4th graders and also looped with that same class to 5th grade. The entire class bonded with each other and we had a great community. In 5th grade, a new student joined us and he was new to the country as well. At the end of the year he wrote me a letter saying how much he would miss me and our class because we were his school family.

What would you do with the $25,000?

First of all, I would donate some money to different organizations who specifically advocate for students, their families, and their education. I would also spend some of the money traveling to different countries. I teach a very diverse student population and want to learn and experience their homeland to gain a better understanding of their culture. Specifically the countries of Honduras, Malaysia, and Thailand.