Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a teacher because as a child I struggled in so many areas. With each struggle I had a teacher who supported, encouraged and loved me. They gave me that safe place to go everyday while filling my mind with wonderful learning adventures.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

My most memorable teaching experience was when I had this sweet little blonde 8 year old who want to be a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader. She cheered constantly even during class so much she could not focus on learning. One day I had a stern talk with her and she looked at me and it was like the light bulb came on. She started applying herself. Last January she stool on the Miss American stage as Miss WV and talked about how that one teacher inspired her and said my teacher was "Miss Horne!"

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would use the money to pay off some bills, give some to my school for a special event for our students and buy a used car to replace my old one. It would be a true blessing.