Samantha Ketchale

Tell us why you became a teacher

For years, I was told that I should be a teacher. I honestly had zero interest until I was in my late twenties. Something sparked in my brain and I suddenly could see myself as nothing other than a teacher. It is in my blood. I love planning, organizing, and thinking outside of the box(which is a necessity as a teacher). Most importantly, I can connect with kids. That is what I am most proud of when it comes to teaching. I can do this because I genuinely care about my kids.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

I wish I could tell a hilarious story, but my most memorable moment was when one of my students had to leave school because she was moving out of state. My student had a tough life in her 6 years. She was living with her grandma because of past trauma. As you can imagine, she struggled when it came to making good choices. She would often steal things out of my desk and struggled to form positive relationships. I had a soft spot for her in my heart. It was absolutely heartbreaking when she left.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I began a journey to help kids with dyslexia. I am working toward my associate level of the Ortan-Gillingham Academy. I would like to return to school to obtain my remedial reading teaching certification, but it is costly. I would use this money to pay my tuition.