I can not remember a time in my life when I did not want to be a teacher. As a child, my friends and I would "play" school, and I was always the teacher. My heart knew what it wanted: to teach. My passion for working with young people was inspired by many great teachers, tutoring friends, and working with high school students learning English for the first time. These are a few reasons why I became a teacher.

One year, while teaching fourth grade, I had a child who was well above a fourth-grade reading level. I was assigning my class a book report in the form of a talking book jacket. The students were excited. One of my students was the only child who was not permitted to choose his own book. Instead, I assigned him The Hobbit to read and report on. After presenting all my students wanted to read it. I let them try, but it was too hard. Students learned so much from this.

There are so many things I would love to do with the $25,000. First, I would purchase items to support my students' needs and the needs of my classroom. Next, I would pay down my debt. With any remaining funds, I would definitely take a trip to Walt Disney World. We all need to do a little self-care, and besides the classroom, Disney is my happy place.