Eric Fizur

Tell us why you became a teacher

I wanted to make my community a better place. I started working in law and decided that perhaps helping young people make better decisions would be better than trying to help when it was too late. I began teaching because I wanted to be the teacher that I needed when I was in school. It has been the best decision I made in my life.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

My most memorable experience was losing an embarrassing bet. I bet one of my students, who was on the verge of dropping out, that if she graduated I would dye my hair the color of her choice. I had neon pink hair for a week, but she graduated and is now doing well in college.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would put some toward student loans, but I would also invest in my classroom. My district is poor, it is located in the poorest area in New Jersey. I want to have a welcoming classroom that is accessible to all my students. I would buy text books, white boards, and make repairs to help my make my students experience much better.