Connect Tell us why you became a teacher

Quite simply, I was saved by my teachers time and time again. Not only my teachers but my friend's parents who were teachers, coaches, administrators; each of whom saw something in me that gave me confidence to be the first high school and college graduate in my family. I'm here to be a bastion of unabashed belief in my students' abilities and prospects. I am here to open as many doors as possible.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

Through the years I've been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to work with students who have nearly all but given up on themselves. I've spent hours in small group/1:1 instruction with these students, warmly demanding effort, and energy in their studies. In particular, I remember a student who was on the Autism spectrum and had not been successful in mainstream classes. Through the year together he grew into an independent and thoughtful student. 7 years later I got to watch him graduate.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would like to update my office in my home. I need a place to store all of the books I own and tranquil place to write, plan, and reflect on the important work I do day in and day out. I would also like to use some of the money to update my classroom library. I have thousands of books but as the years roll forward some become out of date or rotation. I would love to modernize my library and how the library in my classroom is set up. I guess you can say as a teacher, I'm book crazy!