Samantha Lackey

Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a teacher because of my seventh-grade math teacher. He was the first person to make learning both enjoyable and a safe space. After taking that math class, I developed a newfound love for math. In my senior year of high school, I visited a college in North Carolina that offered an exclusive way to get into the classroom freshman year called the Martha West Teaching Scholars. From the moment I stepped into my first school and began building relationships with the students, I was hooked.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

It’s challenging to select a single moment because in teaching it’s about the million little moments. It’s the moments when a student trusts you so much that they want to confide in you. It’s the moments when a child, known for being a terror begins to break down their walls to you and share what truly defines them. It’s that moment when you have worked so hard throughout the year to help a kid be a better student and put forth more effort, and they finally achieve that A or B on a test.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would set aside a significant portion to buy Amazon gift cards, ensuring I have funds for future lab supplies and project materials. The rest, I’d use to treat my family to a relaxing beach trip this summer.