I became a teacher to inspire young minds as all of my teachers did for me. My first grade teacher inspired me first with her passion for teaching and love of children. I sadly lost her during my first grade year but never forgot her energy and passion. Since then, it was my desire to become a first grade teacher. With that desire, I finished college with an elementary education degree and was able to come back to my hometown elementary school and teach first grade, where it all began!

My most memorable experiences were the 17 years teaching first grade! They come to you with such young, fresh, innocent, inexperienced minds in August. By the time they leave you in June, you’ve taught them vowels, digraphs, syllables, blends, punctuation, spelling, handwriting, addition & subtraction methods, 2 & 3 dimensional shapes, telling time, how to read their first books, read with emotion, & so many more important life skills. To see the immense growth, brings happiness to your heart!!

$25,000 would be spent on classroom materials such as dry erase tables for my 5th grade math classes that I now teach. I’d also love to purchase some flexible seating options too, to give students options throughout the classroom! Money leftover would be put into savings for my two younger daughter’s, who are 10 & 12, for their college tuitions as one wants to be a teacher and one a therapist!