Connect Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a teacher on accident, following the COVID-19 Pandemic. When I finished graduate film school at SCAD, my professors and classmates helped me find the path to the CTAE Department in Fulton County Schools in Atlanta, Georgia. Finding this path helped me learn that I have a lot to teach alongside filmmaking, with an extensive background in dance, theatre, stage combat and performance. The skills I teach go beyond our curriculum and offer a comprehensive look at the entertainment field.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

My most memorable teaching experience extends outside my classroom. I had the opportunity to mentor Joshua Herskowitz, a former film student of mine, during his 9th grade year at Riverwood High School. He chose me, one of his middle school teachers, to mentor him on his freshman Middle Years Programme project, a short film titled A Grip On Time. I gave him critical notes on his screenplay and editing, which helped him earn the award for Best CGI Effects at Atlanta HS Film Festival the same year.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would use the $25,000 to pay off a portion of my student loans for undergrad at Mercer University and graduate film school at Savannah College of Art and Design. I would also use a portion of the prize money to contribute to a down payment on a new home. As a first-generation college student in my family, I have lived the hardships that the working class in America faces. This would be an opportunity to afford my family the future I have always dreamed of achieving.