Our Mission at 240 Certification

What’s a fun fact about you that most people don’t know?Throughout my teaching career, I’ve been certified in four different states!

What was your favorite subject in school?Reading! Growing up in Puerto Rico, books were hard to come by, so whenever I got one, it felt like an escape. Whether reading a story or acting out a play, it gave me a way to step into a whole new world.

What’s a small win that always makes your day better?The best part of my day is helping applicants and providing clarity to their questions. I love hearing, “I feel so much better after speaking with you” it truly makes my day to know I’ve made a difference.

What was your favorite subject in school?I enjoyed many subjects in school, but I always excelled in English. English is my second language. I didn’t speak it when I started kindergarten, but by high school, I was in honors and AP English. I owe my love of reading to my amazing English teachers who introduced me to the classics.

If you could swap roles with a teacher for a day, what grade level would you teach?I would want to be a librarian! Surrounded by books, books, and more books!

What's one piece of advice you'd give to someone studying for their certification test?Take care of yourself physically. Sleep, rest your eyes, eat properly. If you don't take care of yourself, you can not take care of business.

Who was your favorite teacher growing up?Mrs. Burns, my third-grade ELAR teacher, always went the extra mile to make class fun and special. She also took the time to help me find books I truly enjoyed during a time when I didn’t like reading.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone studying for their certification test?Trust the process! Take your time, put in the work, and believe that it will all pay off in the end.

Who was your favorite teacher growing up? And why?My favorite teacher was Mrs. Stone. I was lucky enough to have her for Algebra 2 and again for AP Calculus. She was kind and welcoming, always willing to provide a tutorial time if you needed it, and she even brought homemade baked goods to class on the mornings that we covered 3D shapes in Calc.

If you could go back and take any class again, which one would it be? Why?I think I would go back to 3rd grade for a day. I loved playing with the class hamster, Gizzy!

If you could go back and take any class again, which one would it be?I would go back and take AP Environmental Science again. Not only did I have the BEST teacher for this course in high school, but this course was really eye-opening as we learned about our environment and what is going on around us. I enjoyed learning about real-world environmental issues, solutions, and how pieces of the environment around us work and interact together. As an adult, I often reflect on things I learned in that class many years ago and would love to revisit the course to see what new things I might learn from it now!

What’s a small win that always makes your day better?Getting to cross an item off of my "to-do" list! I love to feel productive!

If you could swap roles with a teacher for a day, what grade level would you teach?I would teach eighth grade math! I loved my time in eighth grade as a math teacher and would love to go back for a day.

What’s a fun fact about you that most people don’t know?I’m a twin!

Who was your favorite teacher growing up?My high school volleyball coach, Amanda McMeans. She invested in us as more than just athletes. She cared about us as people!

If you could swap roles with a teacher for a day, what grade level would you teach?Kindergarten! Only taught middle school and high school, but love the littles.

If you had to take teacher certification test, which one do you think you could pass on the first-try?Definitely Social Studies 4-8 and/or 7-12! I was a history major and taught Social Studies for 15 years.

What’s your favorite motivational quote?“Winning is fun… sure. But winning is not the point. Wanting to win is the point. Not giving up is the point. Never letting up is the point. Never being satisfied with what you’ve done is the point.” – Pat Summitt

What was your favorite subject in school?Science, specifically chemistry, was my favorite subject in school. I had an incredible teacher, Mr. Bouyer, who made every lesson engaging, hands-on, and fun. His passion for the subject inspired me to think critically and stay curious about how the world works. He even had a section where we’d perform cool experiments in front of the elementary students that he called “Chem-Magic.” He was like a real life Hogwarts professor!

What’s your favorite motivational quote or saying?My favorite motivational quote comes from the book Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller: “Sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself.” I love this quote because it captures the powerful influence that passionate teachers, leaders, and mentors can have on our lives. When someone genuinely loves what they do, that passion is contagious. It inspires us to care, to grow, and to strive for more. It’s a reminder of the kind of impact we can have on others when we lead with purpose and heart.

Who was your favorite teacher growing up? And why?My favorite teacher of all time was Deborah Schwan, she was both my 3rd and 4th Grade teacher. She made learning feel fun and loved us as if we were her own children. I will forever be grateful for the impact she had on me!

What’s a small win that always makes your day better?My daily litmus test is asking myself, “Did I help someone today?” Every time I can answer that with a YES, means I have seen success and that motivates me to continue further.

Who was your favorite teacher growing up?My favorite teacher growing up was Mrs. Georgia Ann Pristernik because she made 2nd grade so much fun. I will never forget her goody box that we all loved pulling surprises out of!

If you could swap roles with a teacher for a day, what grade level would you teach?CTE Teaching and Learning at the high school level I’ve always wanted to be a teacher who helps future teachers. As a high school student, I had the opportunity to take this CTE class, and it played a big role in shaping me into the educator I am today!

If you had to take teacher certification test, which one do you think you could pass on the first-try?EC-6 Core Subjects or the STR just because that is what I spent almost 10 years focused on! (Is that cheating, haha?)

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone studying for their certification test?Don’t try to cram. Break it into chunks over a certain time span and really absorb the information.

What’s a fun fact about you that most people don’t know?I bake and decorate cakes. I also play the bass guitar!

What’s your favorite motivational quote?“The beautiful thing about learning is no one can take it away from you!” B.B. King