Cole Ritter

Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a teacher because I had an overwhelmingly positive experience throughout school and all of my teachers made me feel loved and worthy. I wanted the opportunity to relay that love to the next generation. I began teaching math because of the societal norm that math sucks and I wanted to find a way to challenge that. I wanted a way for students to come to class and feel the magic of problem solving and exploration of math.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

My first year in a classroom, a refugee student came on the first day with a huge smile on his face and only one English word in his vocabulary - “okay.” I worked with another intervention teacher to help him learn elementary math and eventually high school math. He told us about his childhood and how he ended up in Colorado from Eritrea on his own. 4 years later, I got to watch him walk across the stage at graduation with the same big smile on his face. I’ve never been more proud than that.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would pay off my students loans from getting my masters degree and potentially help pay for a principals licensure program. I am glad to have gotten my masters degree and love learning, but being a lifelong learner is not cheap. I would also plan a safari trip to expand my worldview and take a real break from the school grind.