Nadine Kalajian-Millar

Tell us why you became a teacher

My original path was not to be a teacher. I originally wanted to be a marine biologist, but one thing led to another and here I am. I mainly became a teacher because I wanted to share my love of science. I wanted to show students that science can be fun and interesting. I also wanted to show them that science could lead them to a good career. I enjoy interacting with young people and I’ve noticed that they help keep me young. I also wanted to show students that science is all around us.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

My most memorable teaching experiences probably involve the dissection of sheep hearts and cow eyes. A lot of students are turned off by this process and try to opt out. I often make them just come and watch at the very least. Usually by the end, most of them are getting their hands dirty and asking really good questions. I love their excitement and I love to see them learning about their own bodies. I like to see them connect to the study of biology.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I think I’d like to travel to Belize or even the Galapagos islands. Maybe a family trip of some sort. I’d also like to return to scuba diving. Maybe taking some courses to achieve a dive master certification and do some scuba diving.