Connect Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a teacher, because of certain teachers that were a part of my educational journey. I was not a child who caught on to things easily, but I was lucky enough to have certain teachers who made learning fun for me. They taught in a way that it reached me and it stuck!

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

I have many memorable teaching experiences, but one of which was when I received a very troubled child in my class. I had never had a student quite like her before, so she taught me a lot. She was very talkative, fidgety, a little on the sneaky side, but had such a wonderful heart. Her home life was not ideal and I came to realize that school was her “get away” place. I began to form ideas on how to help her express herself and we formed a bond. On the last day of school she and I both cried.

What would you do with the $25,000?

With $25,000, I would create a flexible and engaging first-grade classroom by adding flexible seating, expanding the classroom library with diverse books, and building a cozy reading area. I would include art supplies and a STEM center with hands-on materials to spark creativity and problem-solving. Funds would also support classroom technology, a calm corner for emotional regulation, outdoor learning tools, and educational field trips.