Tell us why you became a teacher

I have always had a passion for learning. I was a first generation Latina college student and going to college was hard because my family didn’t have a lot of money. We also lived in the low-income housing projects in Chicago which was surrounded by violence. My mom and grandma always told me to do well in school, so that I could get a good job when I was older. Their love and support helped me love learning and I decided to become a teacher when I grew up.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

I had a special education student that was struggling to read. I’ll never forget the day he opened his Captain Underpants book and started reading the pages. I was so excited I hugged him and started screaming with my heart so full of joy. The whole class cheered him on. I think this is still one of the greatest feelings I have. When I was a child I also struggled learning how to read. Being an educator and teaching others how to do it fills my heart with so much happiness.

What would you do with the $25,000?

If I win $25,000, I would use it to buy my grandma’s house in Puerto Rico. She has dementia now and often talks about going back home with her mom and dad when she forgets that they have passed away. I would love to buy her house and land and build a home for the elderly in the mountains of San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico where we could go to live and take care of the sick and elderly. I would love to continue to expand the home and use it as a mutual aid center for the community.