Tell us why you became a teacher

I always knew I wanted to teach. I love learning, and I always admired my teachers and saw them as life-long learners. Well-meaning adults would steer me away from teaching for various reasons, but I found my way back here regardless. Teaching is a way for me to keep digging, because there is still so much to know.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

I can't pinpoint a precise experience, because I think it was an accumulation of lessons for me, but that first time a class went exactly right was pivotal in my teaching experience. I've strived for that level of timing, engagement, genuine interest and curiosity, and concept acquisition ever since.

What would you do with the $25,000?

It would be amazing to build an observatory on campus, or maybe on the roof of the school. I think for $25K, we could probably install a 7 ft. dome. Space might be limited at our school, but perhaps a local sister campus would be open to the construction.