Tell us why you became a teacher

“I don’t care what you do for a career, or where you go for that career. I just care that after you graduate, you go somewhere and do something beyond your parents' couch.” I teach in a shop. We learn hands-on skills, troubleshooting, problem-solving, and creative thinking. I say that quote often because I became a teacher to help students gain skills and find their potential. I will help a student in whatever direction they want to go, because getting going is where personal success starts.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

After school, working in the shop, my phone rang. The name on the screen was a former student. He wasn’t the favorite of most teachers on campus (maybe none), but in the shop, I work well with students like that. I answered, and he asked if I remembered him. I did, and we caught up on his life for the last 5 years. He was sitting around his shop with a bunch of young mechanics sharing stories about who got them into the career. He talked about me, wanted to call me, and tell me thank you.

What would you do with the $25,000?

In the next couple of years, my wife will have a milestone birthday. She has talked about going to Iceland or Scotland. I’d like to take her. She is a science teacher, and I want to take her to some tectonically active sites in Iceland and see the aurora borealis. I also enjoy history, castles, and heavy metal armor. So, maybe Scotland too. We both enjoy aquariums, zoos, and museums, along with the locals' favorite foods, so I am destined to overspend. After that, we want to restore our kitchen.