Tell us why you became a teacher

My path was set since I was seven years old. My cousin was born with cerebral palsy; she suffered blindness at birth, too. She attended a school for students with special needs. One day, I went to her school to volunteer. I worked with one little boy on his sensory diet; I used textured materials on his hands. He smiled and laughed as I placed the cloths into his hands. I knew then that I wanted to be a Special Needs teacher someday.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

Probably my most memorable teaching experience happened when one of my non-verbal students with Autism, spoke to me. We had worked for months on making requests for food and drink. Then, one morning at breakfast he said "milk"; everyone heard it , but nobody could believe it. From that day on, he started using spoken words here and there. The independence he found coupled with his parents' joy is something that I will never forget.

What would you do with the $25,000?

For the better part of my career, I have not been able to put money towards advancing my degree. This is something that I have thought about at length. If I were to win 25, 000. I would take classes to further my education and to enhance my abilities as a Special Education teacher.