Tell us why you became a teacher

In 2021, my friend, Norah, tragically passed away. She was one of the kindest, funniest, caring souls I've ever met. When we were elementary aged kids, her older sister and I would pretend to be Norah's and her twin's teachers. We would plan entire lessons for them and help with their homework. From then on, I just loved getting to help kids learn, even though I was just a kid too. I chose to continue my dream of becoming a teacher to carry on Norah's legacy through my students.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

My most memorable teaching experience is from my second year of teaching. One of my students' father had passed away two days before Christmas. When school started back, I gathered a notebook, some pens, and a spare pencil pouch for her so she could express her feelings in a safe way. I remember her leaping into my arms that morning and we just cried together. Death is a hard thing to teach a kiddo to navigate, but I remember what an impact she said that journal and hug had on her.

What would you do with the $25,000?

With the $25,000, I would donate part of the money to my school to pay off any lunch debt that our students have accumulated throughout the year. I would love to take that burden off their families. Then, I would put the rest of money into savings to purchase a house in the next few years. I love my school and the community that it's in, so I want to be able to set up some more permanent roots here.