“I was raised by two teachers, and my grandparents were teachers, so it was always a part of my life and for a long time. I resisted it because of that.

When I went to OSU, at first I didn’t pursue teaching at all, didn’t think about it, and then I was out of college for a while and I was talking to my mom one day and her and I would just talk for hours about her lessons and her students. I had almost this moment of realization that the only thing I wanted to do was teach and the only place I wanted to be was the school.

I know that even if it’s the worst day ever, like knock-down drag out day, there will be something that makes me smile or laugh every single day, whether it’s a student or something good that happens, there is hope and brightness every single day in this school, even on the worst day.

My students make me laugh a lot and I laugh with them most of the time. Seeing students find something that they are really interested in and passionate about, and seeing that just light them up, is really incredible to see because it’s not always school stuff, sometimes it’s a sport or a club or their friends, but seeing something ignite a passion in somebody is beautiful.”