Tell us why you became a teacher

I taught in the military. I loved being able to explain concepts to my fellow soldiers and knowing that I helped them understand important parts of their duties. I planned on making the military a career, unfortunately I was wounded in Iraq and could no longer do my job. Once out of the military I went back to school to teach.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

I remember the first time I did elephant toothpaste with my class. They all were so excited when the foam shot out of the beakers. I was able to explain multiple concepts using that one experiment and the student understood what I was teaching, really understood.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would do the same as most, pay a lot of bills and invest. I would very much like to buy my wife the wedding ring she has always wanted. My kids are about to go off to college, so it would be perfect timing to help cover that massive journey.