Tell us why you became a teacher

I grew up surrounded by teachers in my family, which first inspired my interest in education. At 13, I joined a teacher-in-training program at my dance studio to help pay for tuition, and I have babysat and nannied since I was 14. My path was truly solidified after volunteering as an English teacher in Cuzco, Peru, after high school. Connecting with students and overcoming language barriers showed me the powerful impact teaching can have.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

My most memorable teaching experience occurred during my university clinical placement. A student was labeled academically impaired because he struggled to keep up. After a month in the classroom, I sensed something else was wrong. During a field trip, I noticed him squinting to see the stage. I contacted the school nurse and learned he was legally blind and his vision screening had been missed. This experience taught me to question assumptions and always advocate for my students.

What would you do with the $25,000?

Like many educators, I carry significant student debt from earning my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education. This prize would help ease that burden and provide much-needed financial relief for my husband and me. More than anything, it would give us the chance to breathe, to enjoy the small moments we’ve had to put aside, and to build a life together not defined by debt, but by possibility.