Connect Tell us why you became a teacher

At first I was only interested in a job that let me do math and talk all day. I’ve never been one to sit at a computer so I naturally gravitated toward teaching. I love being able to help my community and stay involved with sports as well.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

I teach precalc/precalc honors so I have mostly juniors and seniors. My first year was filled with self doubt and uncertainty about where my life was at the time. At the end of the year though, at the senior awards ceremony for academic achievements, the seniors that won something get to name the teacher that made the biggest impact on them, and one of my students chose me. It was the moment I knew I was doing what I was supossed to be, and the uncertainty came from lack of experience.

What would you do with the $25,000?

Medical equipment. In 2023 I was in a car accident that left me paralyzed from the waist down. The accident was the third day of school in my first year of teaching, but they held my job and I was able to return last year. But with this, comes many complicated (and expensive) secondary issues. From adaptive vehicles, to sports equipment, to daily medical items, there is a lot more on my plate and 25,000 would certainly allow me to live a bit more comfortably.