Ashlee Caldwell

Tell us why you became a teacher

I decided to become a teacher because of the ones I had growing up. I hated school when I was in high school and I started to develop a lot of anxiety. I had amazing teachers who found ways to support me and my education even if I didn’t know that’s what it was at the time. I wanted to be able to pay that forward and so I decided to become a teacher and my students really appreciate hearing where I’ve come from.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

At the midpoint of my 3rd year, I had a student sitting for a state exam that would determine his ability to graduate. Too many people thought he would fail and never get his diploma and that just didn’t sit right with me. I did everything I could to prepare him for that test, so when the day came and the grades were in, the look on his face when I got to tell him he passed and would be graduating with his diploma will forever be stamped on my heart and I am unbelievably proud of him.

What would you do with the $25,000?

There are endless things I can think of that I would do with $25,000. There are some things for my classroom I would like to have such as standing desks and comfy chairs that is something my school budget would never be able to cover. I would also love to be able to use that money to help support me going back to school so that I can further my own education. I would love to get my PhD and $25,000 would help support that dream and allow it to become a reality for me.