Tell us why you became a teacher

I am the oldest of my siblings and most of my cousins, so over the summer, I was often charged with watching them. We would play “school” and I found joy in helping them learn and practice reading and writing. I used to babysit for family and neighbors, and very quickly, I learned that I liked working with children. I truly believe that a solid education is foundational to who someone is as a person.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

One of the most memorable teaching experiences was being invited to the high school graduation of my first class EVER. They were 6th graders when I had them, and seeing their names in the graduation program and watching them walk across the stage fulfilled something in my soul. Now, I see my past students graduating high school and college, getting their dream jobs, starting families, and traveling the world - making their own differences in society. But that one graduation solidified my “why.”

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would do a little bit of traveling to experience the world outside of my bubble and bring those experiences to the classroom. With the rest, I would save it for my daughter’s future education.