I became a teacher because I grew up watching my mom make a difference in the lives of children every day. I wanted to be the person who makes learning fun, provides a safe space for learning, and fosters a genuine love for learning. I wanted to be the person that students come to when they need a helping hand. I wanted to be the person who came to big games to cheer on my students. I wanted to be like some of my favorite teachers, who encouraged me to be my best, even when it felt impossible.

My most memorable was during a Mindset lesson. The task was to write ten things you loved about yourself, small or big. Surface level or deeper. As I walked around the room, I noticed a young male getting frustrated. He had scribbled "I can't think of anything" on his paper. So, during share-out time, I called on him. And when he couldn't tell me any, I supplied four immediately. Student hands started popping up to share reasons they love him. He cried for the first time that day.

With 25,000 dollars, I would fund some of the goals I have for my school. I would create STEM Bins for each grade level, filled with general STEM supplies, as well as content-specific materials for each grade level. I would purchase better tools for the garden to help supply food to the community, a wheelchair-accessible swing for the playground, and more Tower Gardens to boost our productivity in the community garden. There are so many amazing purchases our Title 1 school would benefit from.