Stephanie Gatlin

Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a teacher because the teachers I had in high school were transformative to me. My goal is to be a transformative teacher to my students—to help them get to the next level of their future, whether it’s college, military, or career. That’s what my teachers did for me, and that’s what I believe every child deserves.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

My most memorable teaching experience involves a student that I had in my classes who would resist a lot of what I would teach, and he was very vocal in class. I was always respectful to him and just answered his questions. I told him I believe in him. He was always adamant about not going to college, but I always told him that he was meant to go to college. A year later he wrote me a letter asking for a college recommendation, and he told me I was the reason he even applied.

What would you do with the $25,000?

My daughter Matilda is mostly non-verbal and has autism. She was born with sagittal craniosynostosis, a relatively rare deformity at birth. She has a bleeding disorder too. This causes a lot of stress in my family. It is so hard for us in a daily basis to just work through the problems that arise. My concern is also my older daughter Eleanor who is so focused and concerned for her sister. I would do a family trip that Eleanor would remember for the rest of her life.