Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a teacher to help students that need a champion in their lives to advocate for them, inspire them, and support their educational journey. For me personally, I had a tutor that helped me rediscover my passion for learning after overcoming my own struggles and trauma. Without the support, motivation, and hard-work of educators, students can fall through the cracks and never reach their fullest potential. I became a teacher to improve the lives of others, and inspire students.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

My most memorable teaching experience was taking on a three year implementation of new science standards with a targeted group of middle school students. I looped with this group from 6th to 8th grade, providing project-based learning experiences and collaborative opportunities for students to interact with new standards. Students performed higher on the state assessment than any group perviously, on a brand new test. They were successful, and long-term relationships were built.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would use the $25,000 to bring more STEM to my community. I would update our STEM Lab and be able to fund and promote our community astronomy night events for students and families, which I currently use my own resources to put together. I would be able to buy more equipment in order to make groups smaller and learning more meaningful for students each day.