Mark Twain once wrote that "the two most important days of your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why."

At the end of my sophomore year in high school, I discovered why. I had been dreaming of saving the planet as a marine biologist. I would help advance our understanding of how marine life is an integral part of our earth and spend my days protecting it. After struggling in my chemistry class, but finding the grit to eventually succeed, I realized that as a teacher, I could spend every day helping young people discover their own gifts and talents--learn skills and habits to give those gifts power--help them along a bit in their journeys toward achieving their destinies. Talk about changing the world!

I have worked with high school and middle school students for 23 years and no longer keep count of how many kids I have been blessed to know. I do, however, keep each of their faces--their dreams--their souls in my mind and heart.  Currently, I am assigned to working with 7th graders to help them master ELA skills to help them achieve their life-long goals, but I have also taught history and science skills.