Both of my parents have education degrees, and my mother made a career as a kindergarten teacher. In college I studied science and I knew that neither medicine nor research was for me. I signed up as a student peer tutor and found it very fulfilling. Upon graduation I was awarded a teaching fellowship to graduate school, and I never looked back after stepping around the teacher's desk.

While there have been many memorable moments in my 22 years at Susan Wagner HS, the most memorable was in 2008-09. I had been charged to write a curriculum for a new Forensic Science course that I was to teach. Besides Law & Order and Sherlock Holmes, I knew nothing of Forensic Science. Having to learn along side my two Forensics classes that year not only gave me the chance to demonstrate life-long learning to them, it reminded me of the work ethic necessary to be an effective teacher.

As a married father of two, I will first celebrate a bit with my family. Some of that money would then go towards supplies for my students, most of it would be used to purchase new lab exercises for my classes, and undoubtedly a credit card payment or two.