Philip Sommo
Inspiring students is why I love teaching the most. Finding that seed of interest in the mind of a student and watching it grow.
Inspiring students is why I love teaching the most. Finding that seed of interest in the mind of a student and watching it grow.
Thank you for supporting Philip Sommo in this year's competition. Your donations and participation will benefit The Planetary Society in their mission to advance space exploration, inspire discovery, and empower the next generation of innovators.
I've gone through many careers in my life. I started out attempting to become an rough pencil animator for Disney and was almost recruited out of high school, then switched to medicine. All the while I was substitute teaching, which ultimately propelled me to go to grad school for education. Nothing possibly compared to the satisfaction of inspiring students to have an interest in science or watching the glow on their faces as they made new discoveries and connections.
Tell us about your most memorable teaching experienceDuring COVID, I made a series of videos on YouTube which I used to teach my students remotely, inspired by Bill Nye, Carl Sagan and the Kratt brothers. I've used these videos to teach since 2020 and my students have encouraged me to continue the series. To my surprise, with each successive wave of students, more and more note that they recognize me from my YouTube channel and educators have contacted me to use my videos with their own curriculums.
What would you do with the $25,000?I would certainly pay off some of my student loans, but also use the money to create further educational content, as all of the videos I've made have been produced on a shoestring budget, using only my phone. I'd like to see what I could create with additional funding!
Colossal is a nationally registered professional fundraiser that inspires people to advocate for themselves and those in need. Through online competitions like America's Favorite Teacher, Colossal offers participants the opportunity to make their mark while also making a big impact.
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