Davit Davityan

Tell us why you became a teacher

While I was going to school to get my degree in accounting, I started working as a Special Education Assistant just to get me through college. As I approached getting my degree, I came to the realization that I wanted nothing to do with accounting and everything to do with education. I got my degree and immediately went back to school to get my credentials. I figured there’s no better feeling than seeing your students grow. Since then, I’ve never looked back and can say I made the best decision.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

The most memorable teaching experience I had was when I became an aide for a very difficult 2nd grade student. After hearing all the horror stories about aides quitting on him, I knew I couldn’t be the next one. This kid was very difficult and there were days I wanted to quit, but he taught me to be patient and resilient. He went from not wanting to be around anyone, including myself, to being back in a second grade classroom and thriving. That was one of the hardest yet best year in education.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I will spend about $10,000 on school loans, $12,500 towards saving up for a down payment on a house and the last $2,500 on professional development and different resources to use around the classroom. We all know that you can quickly get left behind with outdated resources, so this money is going to be a tremendous help for not just me but my current and future students to come.