Clayton McSpadden

Tell us why you became a teacher

I first became a teacher because, who wouldn't love weekends off and summers off? Well, I found out quickly that my love for the students, their growth into functioning positive adults far outweighed my "need" for summers. Simply, I love it.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

As a teacher and a coach, you never know if you have a significant impact right away. Usually it happens 5-10 years down the road. Well, I finally had a former student of mine become a teacher and a coach to be the same change in a kids life, that I was in his (or so he said). Nothing like that to make a grown man cry.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would pay off student loans. Unfortunately, as a teacher with a family, it's hard to work your way to a livable wage without going back to school. So I have two masters degrees on top of my educational degree. Helping my family pay that off will also help us afford a new vehicle (my 1999 Honda isn't quite the same) for my commute to school.