Tell us why you became a teacher

When I was a junior in high school, I had a rough go of things. Then, I had two teachers named Mr. Perone and Mr. Holland. These two men showed me that I could and should believe in myself and fight for my future. After their classes, I started trying harder in school and made sure that I was eligible for a four year university. I became a teacher as one of those "be who you needed when you were younger" things. I just want to help others as I've been helped.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

I don't have one experience that jumps out to me. What I remember are the students: The ones who laugh along with the jokes and fight along with the everyday battles, the ones who see every failure as a chance to grow, the ones who come into my room during lunch or after school just because they know that its a safe place to be. I know that I talk about the students a lot, but aren't they the entire reason for doing any of this?

What would you do with the $25,000?

I am the coordinator of my school's Health Careers Academy which is program that prepares students for jobs in the medical field. As part of this program, we offer licensing exams through an outside organization. This year, these exams are $165. I teach at in a lower socio economic neighborhood, and $165 is a lot of money. Should I win the $25,000, I'd create a scholarship program to help students pay for these exams.