Tell us why you became a teacher

My desire to become an educator started when I was working as a bilingual teacher assistant at an elementary school while in college. I fell in love with teaching and I was driven by the desire to make a positive impact in my students' lives and sharing my passion for learning and growing with them. I make an effort to provide a safe and fun learning environment for my students to feel comfortable at taking risks while challenging them to their fullest potential.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

My most memorable teaching experience was when I decided to write a book with my second graders during COVID. This was a very challenging year as an educator. Half of my class was virtual and the other half in person and I had a class with a variety of learning disabilities such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, and autism. Many thought that it was impossible, but we published our book! Seeing my students' celebrate their achievement with a proud smile has been my most memorable teaching experience.

What would you do with the $25,000?

As a bilingual dyslexia specialist, if I had $25,000, I could prioritize purchasing bilingual dyslexia resources, upgrading my classroom with essential supplies and technology to better support my students thrive and succeed. I could also invest in professional development opportunities, pay my student loans, save for future needs, and potentially start a mobile pet grooming to support pet shelters in my area while earning extra income since inflation is greatly impacting educators financially.