Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a teacher because I wanted to provide a positive adult role model for students. More specifically, I became a middle school teacher because it is the age that students start to discover their identities. I love watching students discover themselves year after year. Lastly, I wanted to offer a different side to educations for those that think differently. I show math/science brain kids a different approach to language arts because I was that kid in school.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

Every year I get to teach the book The Outsiders. It is such a fulfilling experience to watch students fall in love with a book every year. Every year I give the Stay Gold award to a student that shows growth from that unit. It is an award for the student that normally doesn’t get recognized. I buy them a copy of the book and give them a personalized message where I point out their “golden” quality. It is a way to show students that I see them for who they are… perfect in their way.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I come from a lower income family, so this money is life changing. I would first settle some personalized debt. I would then use a portion of my money to buy new materials for my classroom. I am in need of new headphones and better chairs for students. Lastly, I would put some money down towards a house. Living off of a single income, let alone a teachers income, is not easy.