Samavia Gulfam

Tell us why you became a teacher

I didn’t grow up in a place where questioning was safe. School was about staying quiet, not thinking out loud. Science was the one place where I felt some freedom, even if it was limited. After everything my family went through and starting over here, I knew I wanted to give students what I didn’t have—a classroom where they can ask anything, be themselves, and not feel afraid to be wrong.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

Charlie came in convinced she just “wasn’t a science person.” She avoided trying because she didn’t want to fail. Over time, she started taking small risks, asking questions, attempting problems, letting herself struggle. Watching that shift in her confidence was everything. And when former students like Tim, now in college, tell me chemistry feels easy and even fun, it reminds me how much that confidence sticks.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I came to this country for the chance to build a future through education. I would use the $25,000 to continue my own education and reduce my student loan burden. That investment doesn’t just support me—it directly impacts my students. When I’m growing, supported, and stable, I can show up fully for them and create the kind of classroom they deserve.