Tell us why you became a teacher

I teach in a rural area where a lot of the young people have been born into hardship. I became a teacher because I want to make a difference in the lives of my students. I want to provide them with positive interactions and a supportive space where they can learn and feel cared for. Art is such a multifaceted subject in ways that it can be applied to our daily lives, but my favorite thing is when I see them use it as an outlet for themselves, in whatever capacity they need at the time.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

One recent memorable experience was a field trip I took with my Junior and Senior Art students to see an Andy Warhol exhibit an hour away from the school. It was my first field trip I’ve ever organized and taken my students on, and I was excited but nervous. I didn’t just take the “good” students, I took all of them. I don’t think any of them had ever been to an art museum and it was really cool to get to talk to them about famous artworks that were literally right in front of us. It was great!

What would you do with the $25,000?

Professionally, I’d buy new tables for my classroom (because mine are broken), the art supplies that I can’t afford, and probably a ton of snacks because all of the students always come to me when they’re hungry. Personally, I’d use the money to help get my nonprofit rescue for stray cats up and running. I’ve had the official “business” registered for just over a year, but I’ve struggled getting funding from outside sources to help me make it real. -Having a big heart is extremely expensive.