Grade you teach: I teach grades K-6 / Acceleration Specialist
How long have you been a teacher? I have been teaching for 23 years.
What made you get into the teaching profession? I wanted to be a teacher because my own children had some wonderful experiences with teachers over the years. We also had some negative experiences too. All of this affected me and I wanted to be able to add to children’s lives.
Who was your most inspirational teacher and why? My most influential teacher was a professor named Dr. Wahl while attending the university in Alaska, UAA. I will always remember he said, “The primary and most important characteristic a teacher should have is the element of care within one’s heart.”
What “fills your cup” when you’re running on empty?
I find being appreciative of all, laughing a lot, and meditation daily fills my cup.
What is your wish for Arizona’s children?
My wishes for Arizona’s children are to allow yourself to engage in curiosity, to know that learning takes place everywhere, to love and respect yourself, and to read everyday for 15 minutes.
What does being selected as a Million Dollar Teacher Project Black History Month spotlight teacher mean to you?
I am ever so grateful to be able to represent one of the faces of education, it is so important that students see themselves in all different careers and I am happy to be that for those students aspiring to be teachers. We are powerful knowing that in our American history’s past that having an education is priceless, it is the one and only thing that no one can take away from you. I am so thankful knowing that so many experiences have brought me to this point.
