Bailey Reese

Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a teacher because I always enjoyed school and want to share my love of learning with my students. I want them to come to school excited to be there & to know they are in a safe space where they can pursue whatever interests them.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

My most memorable experience was actually my toughest year teaching. I had a student who was very challenging & I tried to connect with them, but everyday felt like a failure. Then COVID began-that student never logged in & I never heard from them again. A year later, the family contacted me expressing gratitude for all I did. It was then I realized that even when I feel like I’m not reaching my students, I very well could be and that I was meant to be in the classroom to be there for them.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would donate some of the money to my school to use towards getting us secure transportation and bussing so our students can be provided with experiences to get them excited about their learning. I think experiences are great opportunities for students to apply their learning and see it in real life. Our school hasn’t had access to bussing for a few years and so our students have missed so many opportunities to be excited about their learning and I would love to be able to help with that.