I became a teacher because I believe education changes trajectories. I love watching students discover their voice, think critically, and realize they’re capable of more than they thought. Teaching allows me to build leaders, elevate the profession, and create mutually beneficial systems for students and other teachers. I teach to open doors — and to prove that doing hard things with great people is a lot of fun.

One of my most memorable experiences was building a recruitment program to increase representation of students of color into AP Lang & Comp classes. I watched these students thrive in spaces they hadn’t always seen themselves. That same commitment led me to build a para internship program, placing seniors in elementary classrooms as paid paras. In both, the goal was the same: expand opportunity, build confidence, and change how students see themselves.

I would pay off my PhD student loans! Allowing me to focus fully on educational leadership and mentorship. I would also invest in professional travel — attending national conferences, studying innovative education programs, and generally engage in collaboration that elevates the teaching profession.