Miranda Griggs

Tell us why you became a teacher

I played school as a child but never wanted to be a teacher. My mom was a teacher assistant and my sister is a teacher. I began working with children with disabilities outside of teaching. I knew I wanted to help them to do more. So, I went into special education.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

This is a hard one. There are so many memories. My first year teaching was terrible. I cried every day. The class had not had a certified teacher in over 3 years. It was a mix of 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. My first day, I noticed a seat that was off by itself. I asked the TA why. She said, “Oh, that’s where Timothy sits because he acts up.” Well, I moved his desk with the rest of the class and said let’s just see how he does. He passed his state testing that year!

What would you do with the $25,000?

Truthfully, pay off some debt. I have been thinking about going back to school for speech therapy and the money would help with me being able to do that. I also would like to take about $5,000 and set it aside for scholarships. I live and work in a rural area with all title 1 schools (my hometown). A $500 scholarship would mean a lot to someone. I could do one for 10 years!