Tell us why you became a teacher

Teaching is something that I've dreamed about doing since I was a little girl. I became a teacher because of all the teachers that inspired me throughout the years. I became a special ed teacher because I've seen firsthand the impact that a teacher can have on a student who has a disability and their family.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

I'm known around my school for dressing up for all the spirit weeks and for wearing my Christmas sweaters everyday in the month of December. In October 2024, I decided to take it one step further and dress up for Halloween everyday for the month. I had kids come up to me and tell me everyday that the reason they came to school was to see what I was dressed up as.

What would you do with the $25,000?

A lot of the money will go back to my school, my classroom, and my kids. The dream is to get multiple flexible seating options for them including an exercise bike or two. I also would love to add to my classroom library. The money will also help pay for some of my student loan debt and to fix my transportation. I also love all things spirit week and Halloween so some of the money will probably go towards costumes.