Tell us why you became a teacher

When I was 13 I babysat for a little girl that had Down syndrome. I always wanted to be a teacher and would teach the neighborhood kids in the garage but getting to see her learn was a new kind of magic. Connecting with her and seeing her learn something new opened up a whole new dream for me. I wanted to use my creativity and love of kids to connect with kids that needed extra support. So I made the decision to become a special education teacher.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

I currently teach students that are minimally speaking and non-speaking. My favorite memories are when I truly connect with a student. When you connect with a student and they see that you understand them it opens up their world. I love going into classrooms and teaching their peers about how they communicate and being a communication partner to bridge the gap between my students and the rest of our community.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I have had a hard few years with a decline in my health after having long covid which has made things difficult at work. The financial impact of becoming disabled has caused added stress. I would love to use the money to continue finding answers to my health. I also want to work towards disability advocacy and writing children’s books about neurodiversity. If I had this money I could be in a better spot to reach some of these goals and continue my reach beyond the classroom.