Tell us why you became a teacher

I really enjoyed teaching and leading. A teacher had impact on me and my parents pushed me to go into teaching. As I am at the end of my career, I hope I have impacted a lot of lives of my students to be better problem solvers and creative thinkers. The job is demanding and of course I have made mistakes, but you have to make mistakes to learn and grow. I try to be sure to leave all of my students with a positive interaction because we never forget how someone made us feel!

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

I had two former students design and get a book published for children. Several students have started their own merch business based on what we started in class. But, I really enjoy a successful piece of work when a student thinks they can't do it and it ends up being amazing!

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would like to teach online more. I would use the money to upgrade my computer and probaly take a vacation to relax and enjoy life. My students and my job have been a big focus of my career and I would like to focus on myself and my family.