Tell us why you became a teacher

Teaching is my family profession. Though I took a detour into culinary arts school, I ultimately chose to pursue teaching and am thankful I did. I love that every day is different, that the kids keep me on my toes, and I’m forever learning new things to stay relevant.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

Field trips are amazing experiences that I have been able to take my students on every year. My first year at one school I was able to take my 6th graders to the Egyptian Museum. We were the first field trip in years and there were many snags, but we went and the students loved it! They saw real mummies! Some had never been on a trip out of their neighborhood. I have made sure to do one every year, for those students.

What would you do with the $25,000?

If I get to spend it on me, I would put some away for my kids’ college and use some for a down on a vehicle that fits my family. If I get to spend it at my school, I would see if we could improve the play structure and field. There is no shade and the field needs a track and goals for multiple teams to play. Either way, this would mean a lot. Really, thank you for thinking of us teachers.