As a first generation college student, educators have been the most significant influence for me both personally and professionally. I am a fifth generation Oklahoman, and I grew up in Kellyville, which is a community of around 1,000 people. I graduated from high school with just 76 classmates. Most of us attended school together from kindergarten and grew up on farms and ranches in the rural areas around our community. As my parents had no formal education, they wanted the best for my sisters and me. They pushed us while inculcating the innate values of hard work, tenacity, and perseverance. Our teachers challenged us with academic rigor, taught us to envision greater things for our lives, and empowered us to pursue our dreams through education. I was fortunate to have some athletic talent and was a good enough basketball player to attend college on a basketball scholarship.

I attended college at East Central University in Ada, Okla., and received my bachelor's degree in exercise science. I stayed on as the assistant women's basketball coach and finished my master's degree in education and secondary physical education. Following the completion of my degree, I accepted a job at the University of South Florida and moved to Tampa, Fla., where I worked for one year. I then coached high school girls' basketball in Checotah, Okla. I had an opportunity to return to the coaching scene at the college level and began working at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Okla., where I was an assistant women's basketball coach, instructor, and senior administrator in the athletic department. There, I discovered my love for teaching and decided that getting a terminal degree and changing my path out of coaching wasn't a bad idea. Two years later, I began teaching elementary physical education in Shawnee, Okla.

In Shawnee, my principal always gave me the latitude to do my best and grow my program. Eventually, we transformed the culture of our school to incorporate wellness and healthy lifestyles into every aspect of the school day. During this time, I had many opportunities to interface with the city and community on projects and programs to enhance the quality of life for all citizens through active lifestyles. I watched my efforts as a physical education teacher transcend the walls of my classroom to change the lives of my students and their families. One of my dreams for my school was to have a walking track and, a year ago, our school had a track installed on our playground that is not only appreciated by our school, but by our entire community.

This last year has been the most spectacular and extraordinary of my career as I was named the 2008 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year. In this role, I became an "ambassador to teaching" and traveled all over the state speaking this past school year. This experience has galvanized many wonderful opportunities for my career thus far and has challenged me to grow personally and professionally.

While I am not working, I have an English bulldog, Bailey, and a cat, Jacque, who demand my attention. Otherwise, I enjoy spending time with friends and family.