Tell us why you became a teacher

I have always wanted a career that makes a difference and have always loved literature and writing. I wanted to teach future generations of teens to learn to embrace stories that inspire their brains to think and grow as well as to write their own.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

I’ve had so many that it’s hard to choose one. It’s not always the future Ivy League scholar that I’ve taught that has taught me the most. Often it’s the child who has struggled with a difficult home life or with mental health issues or a learning disability that needs a teacher that gets it. When students come back to visit me, write me and tell me what they learned in my classroom inspired them and stayed with them, then in those moments I know what I tried to accomplish came to fruition.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I am a divorced parent of two wonderful teens and I have struggled as a teacher financially for years. I would use this to put a down payment on a house so I can finally provide a place of our own for my children. They deserve a home where they can finish growing up and come back from college and then withhold future grandchildren.