Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a teacher to share my enthusiasm for science. My goal is to be as amazing as the science teachers I had when I was a kid. To encourage the next generation of scientists.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

We were doing a unit on the diversity of life. I wanted to be able to allow the students to explore the native forests near our school, but I was not allowed to. So, I brought the forest to them. I collected different plants, and lichen from the local woods and gave them local wildlife identification guides. The kids had a blast identifying the specimen. After that lesson, the kids would bring in plant samples from around their homes and tell me about what they discovered about them.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I have taught at a variety of schools, and while some had lab supplies, many were lacking. I would frequently be missing basic equipment, such as beakers and goggles, but others were missing essential equipment for the curriculum. With the money I would purchase a class set of lab essentials to keep, so that I could always provide the best experience to my students no matter the school's funding level.