Chelsea McDonald

Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a teacher because I believe multiplication tables and confidence should grow at the same time. I love the lightbulb moments, the messy strategies, and the way a classroom feels like controlled chaos with purpose. Teaching lets me turn curiosity into courage and math into magic…while quietly cheering my students on long after they leave my room.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

My most memorable teaching moments don’t happen at a desk…they happen in bleachers. Seeing former students spot me in the crowd at their games and light up never gets old. And every spring, when graduating seniors walk back through our elementary halls, I’m reminded that I was a small chapter in their big story. Those full-circle moments fuel me to keep pouring into the students in front of me.

What would you do with the $25,000?

If I won $25,000, I’d take my family on vacation. It may not be flashy, but it would be intentional. I pour my heart into other people’s children every day, and I’m proud of that! But I also want to pour into my own children. Time away together; unplugged, and full of memories, would be the greatest investment I could make.