Tell us why you became a teacher

When I was student teaching, I was working with a student who was in 1st grade. He could barely say his letter names and sounds, let alone read. I worked with him one on one and after months of working with him I pulled a first grade book. I still remember the look of confidence that came over him after he read the first sentence to me. He was in shock and disbelief at what he could do. I told him, “I knew you could do it,” and I knew I wanted to experience that feeling forever and be a teacher.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

I had a student in my class who had a lot going on at home. Because of this, he had many behaviors he could not control. Despite all that, he was a brilliant, positive student. To help him learn, I would allow him to stand or sit on the carpet to help get his wiggles out. Sometimes he became frustrated being around the other students, so I had a desk beside mine where he could move himself depending on his emotions. This positive environment allowed him to flourish in my classroom.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would use it for flexible seating in my classroom, fidget toys, new graphic novel books, and field trips for our grade.