Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a teacher because I felt called to do hard things. Is teaching easy? No. But I have a passion for what I do and I feel deeply connected to the students in the title 1 school community I serve. Teaching is one of the most fulfilling careers I can imagine and I genuinely couldn't see myself doing anything else. I firmly believe that every student deserves a teacher that will cheer them on no matter what and I am honored that I get to be that teacher!

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

I have two! One of my favorite moments in my career was when I got to hand my favorite scholar a test marked 72%. We spent weeks of summer school reteaching, and drilling. By the end, I had the privilege of handing him the first test he had ever passed! I still remember the look of relief and accomplishment when he saw his score. My other favorite was dissecting shrimp with my 5th graders. I could not believe how engaged they were and how much support I had from parent volunteers! 10/10 lesson!

What would you do with the $25,000?

First, I would give back to my school community. I'd donate to our annual teacher fund, get new emergency clothes in sizes that fit the kids, and restock my class library. Then I'd obviously restock my Diet Coke shelf! I would put the rest towards a down payment on a house of my own in the community I care about. Growing up, my home was always full of kids from our neighborhood and something to feed them. My dream is to achieve the same thing: A stable home, a community for my family, and food!