Abby Sunderman

Connect Tell us why you became a teacher

I actually did not want to be a teacher originally. I did not like school growing up, struggled with school work, and swore I’d never be a teacher. But then a family member I babysat for knew I was looking for a part time job and recommended I apply to be a helper in their child’s classroom. So I did. And over the school year I realized I loved working with that age group and loved being in that environment. So I worked my way up into being a lead teacher with my own classroom.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

One of my most memorable moments was watching a very shy, timid student find her voice. In preschool we focus a lot on social-emotional learning, and she often got overlooked by peers. After months of support and encouragement, she finally advocated for herself during play. Seeing that confidence and growth was incredibly rewarding.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I’d like to divide it up. Of course I’m sure I’d spend a tiny bit towards my classroom. But I’d also like to share some with my family, I’d use some of it towards traveling because I haven’t really been anywhere, and the rest would go towards saving for a house and life stuff.