Marissa Winmill

Tell us why you became a teacher

My journey to becoming a teacher began with my grandfather's prayers, wishing for me to join this respected and dignified profession. As a child, I loved teaching others to read and learn, which naturally led me to pursue a career in education. I've been teaching since I was 19, and now, in my 32nd year, my career has taken me from the Philippines to the United States. Teaching is more than just a job for me; it is my mission and passion.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

My most memorable teaching experience I had was when my class joined the We Are America book project and published their personal narratives to share publicly. This has become an empowering experience where they found their voice through their stories and how these stories have been transformative in our community. It brought stakeholders and community together to listen, ask questions, and understand that everyone has a story to tell and through stories we can promote equity and peace.

What would you do with the $25,000?

We would like to continue to share diverse stories of our students at Kent-Meridian and the diverse population at Kent School District through the collaboration of our local historical museums and ethnic groups to celebrate our diversity.