Connect Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a teacher because I wanted to make a difference, provide opportunities for children to learn in a fun engaging and inclusive classroom environment, and instill a love for learning.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

One of my most memorable moments of teaching was when we were learning about different modes of transportation and my students had built and decorated paper airplanes. My class was very excited to be able to fly their airplanes. The joy on their faces was priceless. It seemed like such a simple thing, but they were so engaged from the beginning to end of this lesson. One little boy who knew very little English came up to me in the midst of all the joy and said “My heart is happy!”

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would take some of it and buy crayons and books for my students. Many of my students do not have books or crayons at home. When I tell them they can finish coloring at home they often tell me they don’t have crayons at home. I also want to make sure all of my students have books at home, this is so important for building literacy skills with young learners! The rest of the money would be put away for my retirement.