Working as a summer camp counselor since the age of 15, I always found reward in seeing young people succeed. Seeing a young person conquer a fear or try something new that they don’t think they could accomplish inspired me. I wanted to make that difference not only during the summers but in my everyday life. This led me to exploring the world of becoming an educator.

One of my most memorable teaching experiences was taking a group of 8th grade students on a retreat to a camp and helping them see the strengths of their classmates and connecting them to classmates that they have never worked with before. In the end, a group of students evolved from being just classmates to becoming a family.

I would use $25,000 to help enhance the experience of our students. I am always looking for new ways to engage student learning and provide them unforgettable experiences. Over the years I have spent a lot of my own personal money to ensure that my students were getting the best possible experience that they can.