As an undergrad at Butler University, I worked as an intern at the PRIME TIME office of the Indiana Department of Education, where my eyes were opened to the inner workings of state-level instructional planning and guidance! During my first years of teaching 2nd grade at North Dearborn Elementary in Indiana, I was invited to travel to FRANCE to observe French classrooms and experience a different culture- another eye opener! Later, as a 2nd grade teacher at Bright Elementary, I worked through the PTO to write and then fulfill a technology grant (thanks to the Dearborn Community Foundation) that provided document cameras and projectors to each classroom in our school! During that time I was also a coach for my son's Destination Imagination team, which came in first at the state competition and traveled to GLOBALS to compete. What an amazing experience! While teaching 1st grade at Sunman Elementary, also in Sunman-Dearborn Community Schools, I was blessed to work with many amazing teachers and staff. We supported each other and THRIVED during the Covid lockdown where all teaching was done through technology and online learning. To me, that time solidified the importance of finding (or creating!) innovative technology supports for both students and teachers!