Brooke McKenney

Tell us why you became a teacher

Teaching was not always a goal, but a core memory of mine was when I was in first grade doing a read aloud to an imaginary class. I became a teacher because I wanted to make a difference even if it was small. My past teachers all had a significant impact on who I am today and I wanted to pay it forward to the next generation of children who will be future leaders our world full of opportunity.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

It is difficult to single out one memorable teaching experience because I have several. I have only been teaching three years, but with each student in my three years there is at least one significant memory. When students believe in themselves and start saying “Yes, I can!”,instead of “I’ll never be able to do that.”, are my favorite moments. Self-fulfilling proficiencies will impact how the they view themselves, if a student believes they can’t, that is how they will perform.

What would you do with the $25,000?

As a teacher, I am a lifelong learner. It has always been in my plan to continue my education after receiving my bachelor’s degree and teaching credential. I would use the $25,000 to get my Masters in Education.