My fiancé always tells me that teachers have the most important job in the world, and I'm always telling him "I know, that's why I'm here!". I feel the weight of the responsibility of educating younger generations, and it motivates me every day. I take seriously and appreciate the opportunity to educate, influence, inform, and expose students to the topics I teach, the vast opportunities that exist in our world, and so much more. Children are our future.

A student that I didn't know stopped by my room one day to ask if she could bring water from her chicken coop to look at under the microscope, and she asked if I could help her. It turned into a weekly routine for the rest of the year, and it was one of the best parts of my day each time. Not only did she learn how to use the microscope by herself, but the look of joy on her face when we'd see something weird in there has stuck with me ever since. It's moments like these that matter most to me.

So many things! I love to travel, so I would definitely use some of the money to visit places on my science nerd bucket list, like Antarctica and the Galapagos Islands. I'd also love to use some to help my fiancé and I pay for our wedding, or simply not have to worry about rent for a while. I'd also use some to spoil our three cats, and I'd love to donate some to a local charitable organization.