Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a teacher because of the impact teachers played in my life growing up. I want my students to feel valued and loved every day they walk into my classroom. I love connecting with them through various ways and how excited they are to learn new things.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

As a Spanish teacher, I aim to have culture come alive in my classroom and not focus just on grammar and speaking. Recently, my two most memorable teaching experiences have been taking my students to Jaleo DC. They had such an incredible time learning about Spanish tapas and enjoyed the food. Prior to that, we watched the documentary “We Feed People” Chef Jose Andres work with World Central Kitchen and the students are amazed at how much effort and work this organization does for humanity.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would love to contribute to a local school back home in El Salvador. In my hometown, kids have to walk over 4 hours to get to the nearest school. Most of them wake up as early as 4am, no food in their system and walk for hours of the day, rain or shine. I’d also like to donate school supplies and other resources that students and teachers may need in my hometown.