Shundreta Buchanan

Tell us why you became a teacher

I absolutely love helping children learn and grow. Most importantly, I was inspired by my kindergarten teacher, who patiently took the time to help me build a strong foundation. Her care and encouragement made a lasting impact on my life, and I now strive to give my students that same support, confidence, and love for learning.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

One of my most memorable teaching experices occured with a first- grade student who struggled with decoding and had little confidence in reading. During intervention, we worked daily on phonics, blending, and repeated reading. One morning, the student independently read an entire decodable passage without assistance. After finishing it, the student looked up and said, I can read this by myself!" That moment was very powerful for me.

What would you do with the $25,000?

If I won the 25,000, I would assist my oldest child with college tuition. She is a rising senior with a bright future. I would love for her not to have any student loans and to focus on doing the absolute best job she can to graduate from college. This money would help her get off to an awesome start and improve her future.