Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a teacher because I wanted to make a lasting impact on people’s lives. My mother was a teacher and she is the most inspirational person I know. She is the reason why I wanted to give back to others.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

My most memorable teaching experiences have come from changing the minds of my students who HATE math. A place where they see themselves in the lessons and can connect what we learn to their daily lives. I can recall numerous students saying they used to “hate math.” The most impactful moment came when a student told me that a former teacher said they were “bad at math and will always be bad at math.” This student has now come to love it!

What would you do with the $25,000?

With 25,000 my first thought would be to help my girlfriend’s student debt. We are both teachers, in only our third year. I would then use the money to continue my own education. I just finished my ESL endorsement and I would like to continue for my masters. Any remaining money would go to toys for our cat!