Tell us why you became a teacher

Playing school was my childhood favorite! I dreamt of the job at a young age. There is something about it that always spoke to me. After 30 plus years in the profession and having taught every age group from Kindergarten to 8th grade, in public, charter and independent schools, I am still dreaming of what I can accomplish with the students. I’ve built schools, designed programs, and am currently a founder, director and teacher at a school for children with learning differences.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

In our opening year, 2020, I was teaching 5th grade. I had a student who was so anxious, academically delayed, and hid in her hoodie. Building a safe environment for her filled with patience, inspiration and appropriate practices led to her standing at our end of year performance reading her script with confidence and a smile on her face. That was life changing for both of us. That’s what it is all about. Changing lives.

What would you do with the $25,000?

My husband unexpectedly passed away in 2019. To heal, I buried myself in my work. A grateful gift. We always wanted to travel abroad with our kids. This award would afford us the opportunity to see this dream come true!