Tell us why you became a teacher

My mom was a 4th grade Reading teacher and I saw the impact she made in her students, especially when they came back as teenagers or even as adults. They thanked her for the enormous contribution to their young lives. Having graduated from a Jesuit school, Magis (meaning "more"), was ingrained in my life. Learning Magis from my teachers back then, now it's my turn. I want to do more for today's youth.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

When I met up with my students at one of their quinceñeras, they told me that they were so proud of themselves being able to write 4-paragraph essays with ease. So much so that some of their 9th grade classmates would ask them how they did it. My consistent implementation for magis became instilled into how they perform in school even if they've moved up to high school.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would use the money to help out my mom, she's currently running a literacy center back in the Philippines. She retired as a 4th grade Reading teacher and now focuses on helping kids with learning disabilities to read.