Tell us why you became a teacher

When I was in First Grade, my teacher Mrs. Cashion saw my love of reading, and she had me run a reading group called "The Super Stars". From that time on, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. Through my K-12 school experience, my teachers were always caring and helped me to be successful. I wanted to do the same.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

During a writing unit, my students read and analyzed picture books of all different genres to serve as mentor texts. Each child both wrote and illustrated their own picture book. The art teacher helped demo different painting techniques and parents came in to help with the book creation process. When the books were complete, we had a classroom celebration, and students read their books to celebrate their hard work.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would donate a portion of the money to students who need supplies and resources within my current school district. The rest would be donated to support scholarships to the New Jersy Y Camps. This is an inclusive, non-profit Jewish Summer Sleepaway Camp that has provided a safe space for children to connect with their values while being immersed in character and team building activities to foster healthy growth and development.