Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a teacher because of my grandpa. He was a wood shop teacher, and even more than that, he taught me about God and how to care for others. He passed away a few years ago, but his influence still guides me. Because of him, I’ve fallen in love with teaching little ones. I want to make the same kind of difference in their lives that he made in mine.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

One of my most memorable teaching experiences was seeing the moment when my students’ light bulbs finally came on. You could just see it in their faces, they weren’t just repeating information, they were actually understanding and retaining it. In that moment, I couldn’t have been more proud. It reminded me exactly why I love teaching.

What would you do with the $25,000?

If I received the $25,000, I would use it to pay off most of my student loans. It would be such a huge blessing and take a big weight off my shoulders.