Connect Tell us why you became a teacher

Watching my mom pour so much creativity and love into being a teacher made me want to take every opportunity to do the same. I was blessed with so many opportunities of travel and exposure to a variety of cultures and experiences. Because of this, I have always had the desire to be able to bring new and unusual experiences to the classroom and students.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

The most memorable and impactful experience I had in the classroom was with a group of 6th graders during our transportation unit. We had been working on creating DC motor cars. This included wiring, soldering, and ensuring their cars would run. Seeing on student in particular come alive with confidence with his ability to wire and solder different parts and make his car run, and then in turn answer questions for other students was the moment that made me think, "this is what teaching is."

What would you do with the $25,000?

I'm a teacher married to a farmer in the middle of the Mississippi Delta that is rooted in agriculture. I would honestly invest the money into our farm and paying off our house!