Tell us why you became a teacher

Many factors influenced my desire to become a teacher. First, I have had many impactful teachers in my life. I have had teachers that encouraged me, teachers who pushed me to work harder to reach my goals and teachers who showed me kindness during difficult times in my life. Second, growing up, I had a neighbor with special needs . She sparked my interest in teaching special needs students. I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a teacher and couldn’t imagine doing anything else!

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

My most memorable teaching experience was when I had a 3rd grade student transfer in from out of state, He was reading on beginning 1st grade level and was not receptive to reading . He would say that he couldn’t read. I connected with him over baseball and being from the same home state. We built a connection and he began to willingly participate in lessons. He worked hard and began to see his progress Then, there was no stopping him! By the end of the year, he was reading at a 3rd level.

What would you do with the $25,000?

If I was awarded $25,000, I would use it to help my girls with college expenses, pay off some bills, and purchase resources and incentives for my classroom.