“I saw as a teacher how, if you take that spark of learning that those children have, and you ignite it, you can take a child from any background to a lifetime of creativity and accomplishment.” (Paul Wellstone) Teaching is more than a job for me, it is a passion. To light the spark of imagination, understanding, and wonder in a child is the reason I have stayed in teaching for over 31 years. I have traveled many roads in education earning a Master’s Degree in Teacher Education, an Administrative Credential, and National Board Certification in Middle Childhood Education. Along with working as a classroom teacher, I have been a Literacy Coach and Beginning Teacher Support. I have always pushed myself to reach to the highest level and still have fun - USA National Gymnastics Championships, backpacking in the Rocky Mountains, kayaking around Lake Tahoe, scuba diving in Costa Rica. My zeal to challenge myself is seen in the classroom where I believe every child can be successful.