I didn't become a teacher because school was perfect, but because it wasn't . Education felt formal and rigid, mistakes were signs of failure. But I always thought learning should be messy. Ponytails, sweatpants, and crumbs on the desk. Education should feel alive. Discovery should be awe-inspiring. Curiosity should be reinforced, and mistakes should be treated as second chances. That is why I entered the profession. I want to bring learning to life, so I became the teacher I never had.

With a grant, our High School created a cross-curricular biofuel class and build a mobile biodiesel processing classroom. Our students researched, planned and planted different seed crops on our school farm, harvest the seeds and pressed them for oil. We then gave the cafeteria the oil to fry with, then collected the used oil so our students could process it into bio diesel and glycerin. The glycerin was turned into soap for the custodians, and the diesel fueled the tractors on the farm.

I would Sail Around the World (solo) in the Mini Globe race. This would give me a global platform to promote STEM literacy. It would also allow me continue to bring Earth Science, ocean currents, weather patterns, marine Biology, etc. to life for my students, in a collaborative, hands- on, dynamic and important way.