Tell us why you became a teacher

After the age of 40, I found myself single & in need of a way to support myself in a small town. I decided to be substitute teacher at my son's school. I enjoyed it so much, I enrolled at UCA & earned a Masters degree in teaching. I have been a 5th grade teacher in that same small school since I graduated from UCA in 2009. It has been the most rewarding career choice. I truly love going to school every day and seeing "my kids".

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

I have been teaching for 17 years. There are many memorable experiences. One however proves to rise to the top each time I'm asked this question. A boy came to me very upset at recess because he had a pimple. He said someone told him he "had the puberty". He was only 10, so we had a discussion about puberty. That is not something we usually discuss in 5th grade. He listened, but was unhappy to learn that it would take a few years to grow out of it. He was so serious. My heart felt his anxiety.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I'm not certain what I would do should I win the $25,000. I could use some more books in my class library. I might also use it to fix some things around my house that need repairing. Investing the money is also another good option.