Leah Bailey

Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a teacher because of the impact I can make. The biggest goals in my career have always been to instill a lifelong love for learning through curiosity, inspire self-confidence by acknowledging success and emphasizing the value of hard work and contribution, celebrate individualism by hosting a respectful, humble, and unbiased learning environment, and guide learning in an expressive and meaningful manner. I achieve this through offering support, encouragement, and attentiveness to all.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

The most memorable moment of my career so far was finding out that 100% of students in my general education class either met or exceeded standard on the ELA state summative test last year. This was a huge accomplishment that my students and I felt equally proud of!

What would you do with the $25,000?

With $25,000, I would be able to make a donation to provide my school with an abundance of resources to help meet the diverse academic, social, and emotional needs of all students. If this money is able to be used in such a manner, I would also use a portion to pay some of my student debt off, which would help me to be able to go back to school for my master’s degree.