Tell us why you became a teacher

Every kid deserves to have someone in their corner. Sometimes that doesn’t happen at home, so I want to be that person at school. I want to make sure kids are treated with respect and encouraged to love learning.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

I had a student who really struggled to make responsible choices, but I made sure to get to know him well and learn what motivates him. I created a list of things based on his interests that he could do when he finished his work. I wanted so much for school to be a positive place for him. Throughout the year, we developed more trust and respect. He made better choices and seemed to feel better about being at school. I’m hopeful that progress continues for him!

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would pay off my student loan from my master’s degree and pay for the certification program I’m getting ready to start for gifted education. I’m a lifelong learner and I’m always looking for ways to gather more knowledge to improve my teaching.