Tell us why you became a teacher

High school was such a formative time for me. Like many teens, I hugely struggled with self confidence. My teachers were some of the most supportive and confidence building people in my life at the time. I truly believe every person can excel and do amazing things if they are given the tools and support required. I want more than anything to be that support for the teens I work with like my teachers were for me. A lot of them don't have stable home lives, and need an adult to believe in them.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

I had a student who came to class every day, but never participated or talked to any of his classmates. I started welcoming the students at the door as they came in, and after a couple of days of saying hi to him by name, this student had a complete 180 and started interacting with others and showing progress in class. Such a testament that small acts of kindness/recognition can make worlds of difference in students lives!

What would you do with the $25,000?

I'd love to take my husband on a nice trip. We all know teacher salaries are not lucrative, so he works extra hard to ensure we are financially stable enough for me to be able to do what I love. With the rest, I'd love to re-invest into the school. We are a Title I school that was built in 1890, which means we have a lot that's outdated and limited funds to do anything about it. I teach foods and we currently have a broken oven, two broken stove tops, and a broken ice maker. I would fix these!