I realized that teaching was my true calling after starting a doctorate in organic chemistry. The only part of graduate school that I really enjoyed was teaching an organic chemistry lab course. I left grad school to pursue a career in education, ending up teaching chemistry in the very high school that I graduated from. This is now my 20th year teaching, and I have no regrets. I love what I do, because I get to share my enthusiasm for chemistry and physics with the most amazing students!

I would have to say it would be making a challenging student smile for the first time in my class. He didn’t love school, but it happened to be Halloween and that meant it’s the day I shoot flames out of a Jack o’ lantern. After telling a little story, I told the students to stand back. He asked me, “for realz?” and I simply responded, “for realz, for realz,” earning both a smile and his trust. I became a better teacher that day because I realized the importance of wonder in science education.

If I won $25000, I would definitely put some of it towards my children’s college savings, as well as my car and mortgage payments. I would also buy some lab equipment I’ve been eyeing for a while, like another air track and carts for physics lab, and a high capacity tabletop water distiller for chemistry labs. Lastly, I’d like to buy equipment carts and cases for the Science Olympiad team’s projects and builds, and cover the team’s competition expenses.