I grew up in an orphanage in Romania, where my biological parents abandoned me. I missed out on my formative years as a student. I was a second language learner, delayed by two grades who struggled a lot academically. That’s why I became a teacher. My students deserve access to equitable, high rigor education, that truly believes that all students, whether from shelters, low income to high income families; can be equipped to be the difference in their generation as world changers and innovators

Aside from teaching 1&2nd grade science, I’m a robotics first lego league coach and mentor. My most memorable teaching experience is inspiring my older robotics club engineers to coach the younger robotics engineers. My proudest moment so far was seeing two 7th grade engineers lead the robotics club sessions on how to code, program light grids, camera sensors, and create coding sequences, while fostering joy and unity! Seeing my engineers own their craft, proves a brighter future of engineers!

$25,000 is a lot of money; but knowing my upbringing and where i’ve come from to now being a rising education leader in my school, My vision of using this money would be to invest into the future of America! I’d do this by investing in various programs and expansion of my school’s robotics and science extra-curricular activities across my charter network. I’d also use the money to fund a NYC educator’s coffee house where education leaders/innovators can host trainings, conferences and seminars.