Tell us why you became a teacher

I had a one-room school in Mexico full of orphans affected by the cartels. They were scared, alone, and needed strength to make it through the trauma that had overwhelmed them. We hiked the mountains with goats and learned along the way together. It was an amazing experience and began 33 years of reaching towards kids in troubled communities.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

One young biology student in a remote rural village in Alaska said, after dissecting animals in his lab coat and while holding a scalpel, “Ms. Kay, I feel like a doctor!” I replied,” John, You could be a doctor!” He had never even considered going to college before that day. A spark lit up his eyes. I could see his new willingness to grow this passion. Days like that one keep me going strong.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would fund my science classes for the next decade and take my students on field trips to experience the world outside their city. We could actually dig for fossils, examine tide pools, and collect marine debris. I have so much to show these inner-city alternative students, and so little funding. It would open up a whole new world for them.