Tell us why you became a teacher

I remember being five years old and forcing my siblings to play school with me. School was my top priority, and I did everything I could to succeed. Throughout my years in school, I made a promise that, when I became a teacher, I would allow all my students to dream and believe in themselves. I've been doing just that for the past 12 years!

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

My most memorable teaching experience so far has been parents asking me what it is that I do that makes their kids want to go to school, and then cry when they get home because they can't be there. Kids who cry every Friday at the end of the day, counting the days to get back in our classroom to keep thriving and taking chances!

What would you do with the $25,000?

With the $25,000, I will buy math and reading learning tools for my grade level to provide a learning opportunity for all students. I will also get books for my team to dive into a book study to understand better the development of how students learn.