Mallory Shannon

I became a teacher to make kids feel safe, loved, and heard in a learning environment. As a child, I hated going to school, and I really struggled in my classes. When I sought out to become a teacher, I was determined to never let a child in my classroom feel the way I did, at least not for long! I wanted to become a teacher so material would come to life for my students and they would know how much education matters for their future.

My favorite memory was Christmas of 2023. I work in a title one/ inner-city school, where poverty runs high and resources are low for my students and their families. With the help of many others and a wonderful organization, we were able to give each kid in my class their Christmas wish list and essential needs for their families. This was one of the most incredible experiences to witness other people partner with me to wrap their love around these children to make them feel cared for.

With the $25,000 I would pay some essential bills. I recently had a baby and I have a large hospital bill to pay off. I also would like to go back to school to get my masters to become a principal, so the money would also go toward tuition. Lastly, I would throw my students an awesome party and have some fun prizes for them!!