Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a teacher after spending almost 15 year in sales and management positions. I found that the only joy I had in those jobs was when I was mentoring new employees. After talking with some teachers and administrators I realized that I needed to turn those little moments of happiness into a full time career. It’s been 7 years now and I haven’t missed my old life for a second.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

My most memorable teaching experience came in my first year of teaching. On my first day I had a classroom with 30 freshmen at a pretty tough school. One of my students kept trying to get my attention but I was so focused on following the lesson plan that it didn’t register. She finally said, “Mister”, and waved me over. When I got to her desk she quietly pointed out that I had a rip in the seat of my pants. She instantly became my favorite student for not making a scene.

What would you do with the $25,000?

If I won the $25,000 I would create a budget that split the money between classroom needs and family rewards. My goal would be to stock my classroom so that students would not need supplies for the remainder of my career. The rest I would use to treat my family to a vacation as they have graciously put up with all of the teacher certification classes, late night planning, and teacher stories that only other teachers would truly appreciate.