Heidi Dawson

Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a teacher because a class at our kids school was going to be canceled and I hated that for them. I had started my degree journey because of my special needs kids and having to work so darn hard to get them help in school. I was always "just a parent". So, I went and got a degree. Not just a parent any more. Well, then came another degree and I am working on another and here we are.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

There are so many it is hard to pick just one. I love being able to have a student come in closed off and distant, but by the end of class they are opened up, talking, and look and feel so much lighter. Seeing them engage and make connections is the best part of my every day. So, there is not just one experience. They all are just as memorable in every way. I know that does not answer the question directly, but it is how it is.

What would you do with the $25,000?

Honestly, I would probably use a bit of it towards another degree or educational advancement. I would use another bit on a family vacation as my kids are getting older and leaving the next. Time is precious. The rest I would use towards my classroom and students. We all know schools are NOT fully funded and teachers pay for things all the time. This would offset that.