After graduating from Hartland High School in 1991, I attended Michigan State University. In 1995, I graduated from Michigan State University with a BA in Elementary Education. I did my student teaching at Mason Middle School in Mason, Michigan. My first teaching job was in Huron Valley Schools in Milford, Michigan. I spent a year teaching 4th grade, a year with a 4th/5th grade spilt, and two years in a 5th grade classroom at Johnson Elementary. I then moved to Oak Valley Middle School where I taught 8th grade science and social studies. In the summer of 2001 I completed my Masters degree in education from Marygrove College. In 2001, I took a job with Cass City Schools. I taught one year of science and math in the 8th grade. Since then, I have been teaching math and science to sixth graders.