Every year, more students look down at their phones but my passion is inspiring them to look up. Since I first gazed at the stars, I was captivated by the mysteries of the universe. While working in my college observatory, I’d watch their faces light up at the sight of Saturn’s rings and eyes widen contemplating the vastness of space. As a full-time physics teacher, SNHS advisor and PhD candidate, I know sparking this sense of awe in all my students will be my life’s work.

I will never forget winning Teacher of The Year because it reflected my passion for enriching students well beyond the classroom. From participating in a Spaceflight Experiments Program alongside astronauts aboard the ISS to solving real-world problems like improving helmet design in an interscholastic STEM competition, I love taking learning into new spaces. For me, memorable teaching occurs in these raw moments when students are truly engaged, relishing in the pure joy of science.

With $25,000, the sky is literally the limit! Since my days in the observatory, I have always wanted to build one at my school. Pictures, apps, and videos will never replicate the awe that comes from seeing the cosmos through a powerful telescope and I want my students to have the opportunity — regardless of background or ability — to access such advanced technology. Those nights looking at the stars changed my life, and I owe it to the universe to provide my students with the same opportunity!