Connect Tell us why you became a teacher

Teachers are motivators, nurturers, confidence-builders, and torch bearers for students. During my formative years, there were many educators that possessed these qualities and encouraged my love for learning. I knew that I wanted to follow in their footsteps and be the teacher that future children would need.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

As a third grade student, my class read the novel “Holes.” I always remembered the way my teacher read the book to us, our movie watch party, and the excitement as we put the pieces of the mystery together. When I became a fifth grade teacher, I had the opportunity to read the same book with my students. We dove into the world of Camp Green Lake, the same world I ventured to nearly twenty years before them. Sharing a love for the reading of a timeless novel with my students was priceless.

What would you do with the $25,000?

As a young teacher raised on a cattle farm, this money would be a wonderful investment for my future. I would use it to contribute to the life I have planned for myself, both personally and professionally. I’m always looking for opportunities to better my classroom resources and supplies.