Tell us why you became a teacher

Being a teacher has always been my dream job. After becoming injured while working in database and IT, I started coaching cheer. I loved connecting with teenagers and teaching them, so I combined that passion with my passion for math and computers and now get to spend all day teaching my students the subjects I enjoy.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

My most memorable experience as a teacher was during COVID. It was my first year as a teacher and I spent hours coming up with ways to connect with my students online. A popular activity was the weekly check-in where students would tell me the best and worst parts of their weeks and I would always read and respond to each student. One day, we had a drive through awards ceremony. One of my students started crying when she met me for the first time, she was so happy I was her teacher.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would use it as a down payment to buy a house, a challenging task for teachers in California. And of course, more Needoh squishies for my class.