I am a teacher with significant school debt, and it's been incredibly hard for me to afford paying it off. My journey started in a difficult place—I was born into families struggling with addiction and endured physical, mental, and emotional abuse from childhood until I was 17. After moving between families I had no relation to and attending over eight different schools before high school, I finally found my forever family in 2018. When I reached high school, I realized my teachers were the only present people throughout my life who pushed me to be better and not just a statistic.

Inspired by their support, I decided in my sophomore year that I wanted to become a teacher—specifically a math teacher (Go STEM!). I went to college and earned my degree in pure mathematics at Sac State (STingers Up!), then pursued my credential and a master's at UMass Global. Unfortunately, I couldn't afford to finish my master's because of the overwhelming debt I accumulated. Despite these challenges, I've been teaching since the moment I graduated with my bachelor's degree, and I'm now approaching my fourth year, currently in an induction program to clear my credential.

Receiving support will help me pay off my student loan debt. Teacher salaries are not the greatest right now, so I'm unable to pay down my debt as quickly as I'd like. As a first-generation student, I hope to buy my own house one day and continue building a brighter future for myself and my family. Sometimes, with the lack of funding teachers have and the state of the economy, I've contemplated whether teaching is suitable for my success, but in my heart, regardless of the pay, I want to be a teacher. Any support means the world to me, and I appreciate contributions to helping me have a brighter future.