Lauren Collier

Tell us why you became a teacher

I wanted to be a teacher in 1st grade. But only because I wanted to decorate my own classroom. iIn high school I became a jack of all trades (master of none). In college, teaching found me. What started as a degree to have “in case my husband couldn’t work” became the joy of my life. All of my “trades” fit into this career. I get to craft, act, sing, entertain, learn, wonder, read, write, and solve. Now watching the growth mini humans can make in one impactful school year is what keeps me here.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

I once had a student in a wheelchair with no legs below her knees. She was a very shy student who did not like having attention on her. She had prosthetic legs but hated them and was having a hard time feeling motivated to learn to walk again. That year we had a science and engineering standard where students used what they learned about the human body to design a knee brace. She faced her fears and brought her prosthetic legs to school to help her class learn about engineering.

What would you do with the $25,000?

25,000 dollars would be the gift of a lifetime to pay off student loans and other debt. This would remove a monthly financial burden so I can start saving for my daughter’s education.