Tell us why you became a teacher

I come from a very hard working family with a very limited income. I knew since an early age that education was important and the expectations for me was set very high being the first child and the first grandchild. I worked very hard to ensure I got into a good college. I wanted to pass down the positive impact my teachers had on me to young people. Being an elementary teacher has allowed me to do that.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

I had a second grade student that entered my special education class with limited English and limited skills. At the beginning of second grade he could only read 10 sight words. By the end of second grade he was able to read 410 words!! The confidence he had by the end of the year was something I’ll never forget!

What would you do with the $25,000?

I supply my students with snacks on a daily basis. I spend about $300 a month on nutritional snacks for my students, so some of the money would be spent on stockpiling snacks. I would also love to update my kitchen in my house.