Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a teacher because of two incredible educators. My kindergarten teacher saw me, not my disability, welcoming me like everyone else and showing me it didn’t define me. In high school, a teacher taught me how to thrive as a deaf person in a hearing world. Their belief in me inspired me to reach out to students and make the same kind of impact—showing them their potential, empowering them to grow, and proving that no challenge can limit their ability to succeed.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

During my student teaching, I taught health and physical education to a group of deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Their shocked faces upon realizing I knew sign language made me smile; they saw their language embraced in a new setting and someone like them achieving what once seemed impossible. In that moment, I knew I was in the right profession.

What would you do with the $25,000?

With $25,000, I would enhance my classroom to enrich my students’ learning environment, reduce personal debt, assist my sister by acquiring essentials for my nephew and niece, and initiate my return to higher education.