Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a teacher because of the way I grew up. I had a great childhood with the privilege of going to a private school. There are many kids that do not have the opportunity to go to a school like this. I want to teach those who might not get the love that they deserve outside of school. I wanted to be one of the first people to make my students smile in the morning. I wanted to become a strong, supportive figure in their lives to set the motion for the rest of their educational experience.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

I would say my most memorable teaching experience would be the overall feeling I get at the end of the year. I get to see students barely knowing how to spell their name then leaving my class knowing how to write sentences. This proves that what I do is worth it. I am able to help my students get to the stage of success before they go into first grade. This experience is something I get every year and I can’t wait to continue to cherish it for the rest of my career.

What would you do with the $25,000?

If I won the $25,000 I would have more opportunities to grow my classroom environment. I believe it is important to create a very welcoming and calming space for students to grow. I also want to use the money to create more opportunities for my students to learn sustainable living choices such as recycling and planting their own food. I want to save the majority of it for my future teaching years to use on supplies or even my own child’s education.