Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a teacher to carry the torch of creating a safe space for youth to freely express themselves through artmaking, just as my art teachers did. All children should have an adult to look up to & trust when growing into their best, most authentic selves. All student voices are meant to be heard, & through artmaking, emotions transcend beyond words. Art helps youth process their lives, I'm honored to facilitate a space that fosters emotional growth through creative strategies.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

My most memorable teaching experience was on the first day of in-person school after a year of online learning due to the pandemic. A student came in my classroom & asked, Are you Ms. J? He introduced himself as a student in my 1st period online class the year prior & said my class was the reason he got out of bed in the morning. He said without my class, he wouldn't have had the motivation to continue logging on. It was touching to hear & made this first day of school one for the books.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would do a number of things. 1st: pay some of my student loan debt. 2nd: buy a new car so I have a more reliable way to get to work. 3rd: Print my photography so I am able to start a side-business pursuing my passion in artmaking.