Harley Douvier

Tell us why you became a teacher

Before my mom passed, we would have conversations about doing something more with our lives and trying to be more selfless people. I was still searching for what that purpose was after she was gone. Once I took a position as an Education Assistant, I immediately felt like this was the thing we had been talking about all those years. Becoming a teacher leaves me feeling fulfilled every day in a way that also lets me honor the kind-hearted person my mother was.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

Working in Special Education, every day you experience moments for the books. The moments that mean the most to me are the moments where you can see some of these kids grow right in front of your eyes. The moment where a student like Kevin, who came in to 6th grade so petrified to even look at another student let alone talk, walks down to lunch with a new friend into a crowd of students with a smile on his face. That’s when I felt like I could make a difference in this world.

What would you do with the $25,000?

Our district has been struggling with finances these past few years, and there is a long road ahead of us. I work in a center-based program for kids on the Autism Spectrum who want to learn in a setting as close to the general education setting as possible. Our program is very important to these students and for their futures as integral parts of the community. I would use this money to help our program feel secure amidst an education system that doesn’t always feel that way.