Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a teacher because I wanted students to see themselves represented in the classroom. Taking an education course as an undergrad showed me how people negatively view students from urban areas, so it became my mission to ensure that students learn from a highly qualified teacher who believes in them.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

I have the privilege to travel with my students through a lot of hard work. I don’t do it often since the cost is extremely high, but I remember being in Italy and my student ran up to me telling me she tried octopus for lunch. She was so excited to have tried something new and at that moment, I knew that I have to travel with more students so they can experience something as little as trying a new food.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would create a travel program for students who never traveled before. I have seen what travel does to a student’s mindset and cultural competency and I would love to expand that to make it more accessible for ALL students.