Tell us why you became a teacher

I grew up with ADD, and as a girl it was hard to diagnose. I struggled through school for years. Many teachers told my parents I was just “bad,” and no one really took the time to understand me. It wasn’t until college, when I couldn’t sit through lectures, that I was finally diagnosed. Despite those challenges, I graduated from college and chose to continue my journey in education by earning my master’s degree. My experiences shaped the kind of teacher I want to be.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

In 2020 when COVID hit, I was about 7 months pregnant. I shared my announcement with my class, a whole gender reveal put on by my para, and all aspects of this journey. When we were dismissed I zoomed with my class several times a week. We wrote letters to each other to practice writing. But what was so special is my para collected drawings they made for me and made it into a baby blanket that still I cherish. I share my life with them, but get to know theirs by showing up for them as well.

What would you do with the $25,000?

To be honest, I have a lot of student loans and I would use the money to help pay for these. I also live about 30 minutes from my school and we are trying to move closer. My school is small and community is everything in this town. I want to be more apart of it than I already am.