Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a teacher mostly because I wanted to be the teacher that I needed and wanted when I was young. In my time in school, teachers did not intervene when children had issues with each other; they told us to work it out for ourselves but they never gave us the tools to do so. For me, this left me with very few friends because I never knew how or what to say so I ended up with very few friends which made school very difficult and left me not knowing how to be a friend.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

I had a little boy start in my classroom after being home with a nanny. Very quickly after spending time with him, I began to realize that he was not speaking and was unable to engage with his friends. His mother had asked if I had any concerns that she should discuss with his Dr and I mentioned the lack of communication and interaction. After an evaluation, paperwork and documentation, he began receiving Early Intervention. This lead to an Autism diagnosis which set him up for supports for him.

What would you do with the $25,000?

With 25,000, I would invest in the future myself and my family. I would put away money for each of us as a nest egg. Since I work with young children, I would take a portion of the money to create a better climbing area for my children to support their gross motor development. I would create a subscription for my classroom to Lovevery; their toys provide complete concepts that span all areas of development.