Rebecca Sabetta

Tell us why you became a teacher

I’ve always loved science and education. My mom is a history teacher, and my dad is a biologist. They inspired a love of learning in me from a young age. When I was in high school, I had a kind, enthusiastic science teacher who made me realize that I wanted to be just like her and teach in a classroom of my own. I wanted to be there for my students, but also wanted to get them excited about science in the same way I am.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

Besides teaching science, I also co-advise my school’s new writing club. Not long after we started it, I received a note from a student where they thanked me for being a fun teacher who listened to students and encouraged them with their writing. When I was my students’ age, I would have loved having a club like the one I run now. Hearing that I made both my classroom and the club a warm, welcoming place was everything I could have ever wanted as an educator.

What would you do with the $25,000?

There’s no one thing that I would spend the $25,000 on. I would probably use some of it on supplies for my classroom. Some of the money could go towards school and club field trips. I’m also a member of a committee that wanted to support students by sending staff to PD conferences. We weren’t able to go to one this past year because of a lack of funding. Some of the money could be used for that. Overall, the money could be used to make my classroom a more engaging and fun place for students.