Kimberly Newman

Tell us why you became a teacher

My father taught me the value of an education. He was a teacher who later became a principal then assistant superintendent. I admired him, so I decided to follow his footsteps.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

My most memorable teaching experience was when I taught 7th grade language arts. I had a student who was hard to reach. She didn’t participate in class or complete assignments. One day, I handed her a novel from the Bluford Series and asked her to take it home and read for ten minutes. The next day she returned the book and asked for another one. She did this several days and always yearned for more. Prior to that year she had never passed the state test. She passed that year.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would do several things with the money. First, I would create a school closet to house school uniforms. Secondly, I would like to expose my students to various experiences. I want to take them to see a play and to a fancy restaurant that includes a five course meal. If there’s money left over, I would purchase books for a classroom library.