Tell us why you became a teacher

People always asked if I was a teacher when I coached my daughter’s soccer team, and I’d laugh and say, “God no.” Before moving to Arizona, my second grade teacher—who later became my son’s principal—encouraged me to serve my community through education. I resisted. But during a hard divorce, I needed work that matched my kids’ hours. My first day as a Pre-K aide, I fell in love. The classroom became my joy and my healing.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

When I chose between general and special education, I picked general but deep down I knew I would regret it. And I did. Later, I went back to earn my special education degree. I’ll never forget walking into a classroom and seeing a student separated behind a barricade. It broke me. The next day, I removed it and redesigned the room around inclusion, structure, and trust. Watching him become part of the classroom was a full-circle moment I will never forget.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I love my job, but the truth is I don’t get paid enough. I’m a single mom with one child in college and one in high school, and it’s hard. There’s always something to fix, something to pay, something unexpected. My daughter has had her permit for a year and I still haven’t been able to afford driving school. Last year I stood in line for free groceries and cried, wondering how a teacher with a degree could be in that position. $25,000 wouldn’t change who I am but it would give me breathing room.