Tell us why you became a teacher

I wanted to become a teacher before I joined the armed forces but did not have the education to do so. After serving for 13 years I got out and went back to school to get my degrees to teach children. I wanted to be like those memorable teachers I had growing up to inspire children to reach their goals.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

My most memorable teaching experience was when I was able to build the confidence of a student in SPED classes. Watching him blossom into an outgoing academic risk taker has been a joy and I love the classroom environment I’ve built that lets kids know mistakes are just stepping stones to succcess.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would buy books for my classroom that are representative of those I serve. I would also spend it going on field trips for students to get to experience the world around them outside of their neighborhood.