Tell us why you became a teacher

I have been blessed to be surrounded by incredible educators both in and out of school who helped shape me into the person I am today through the love and support they showed me as a child. It is because of these influential educators that I decided at a very young age I wanted to do the same thing - teach little minds. I became a teacher to foster a sense of belonging and a lifelong love of learning for the students that come in my classroom.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

Last year, we were getting ready for state testing review, so I decided to come up with a rap for one of our standards to teach to the kids the order of adjectives. At first, I felt that students weren't feeling it but after teaching it fully and recording it, they had some of the biggest smiles on their faces, and I could tell this was memorable for them. For me, hearing most of them hum the rap during state testing to remember the order was absolutely beautiful to me.

What would you do with the $25,000?

With $25,000, I would fund a "Learning through STEAM" classroom at Whigham Elementary School to expose students to hands-on experiences in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. This space would allow students to expand beyond traditional learning and explore concepts through creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving. The classroom would include tools such as robotics kits, coding devices, engineering building materials, and interactive technology.