I became a teacher with the encouragement and guidance of my sister. After transferring to a college closer to home, I began working as an afternoon staff member at the Early Learning Center where my sister worked. With only one week in, I quickly fell in love with the children and the way their young minds worked. I switched my major to education and worked the rest of my way through college at that same Early Learning Center.

In my second year of teaching, it became clear that one of my students was demonstrating characteristics that were associated with ASD. With the cooperation of his family, help from support staff and intervention from our local I.U., this little boy grew up to graduate High School with Honors and is now in his freshman year at college, studying Engineering. I was honored to be invited and to attend his graduation party this past Summer, but more so to have been a small piece to his puzzle.

First, I would be able BREATHE for a little while paying bills. Aside from being an early childhood educator, I am a mother of 4 and a caretaker to my father. Bills add up quickly, almost always quicker than my little early childhood education paychecks. With a passion for science and gardening, I would also LOVE to create a sensory garden for the children in our school and would use some of the money to purchase necessary materials for the project.