As a little girl in Sacramento, California, Mrs. Jasmine Stocking loved hearing her grandmother sing to her. Later, they sang together. Now, Mrs. Stocking sings to her newborn son.

“When I sing, it makes me happy; takes me home to Sacramento; and, like books, takes me to a different place,” Mrs. Stocking said.

Her fifth grade teacher Mrs. Montgomery inspired Mrs. Stocking to become a teacher.

“She was always helpful, kind, and showed great interest in the art of English,” Mrs. Stocking said. “She made it easy for me to learn and absorb information as she showed in her way of teaching.

Mrs. Stocking’s favorite teacher memory is getting to know some of her kids during internship and them remembering her during a Stem Wars competition later on.

“These students ran to me and gave me the biggest hugs,” Mrs. Stocking said.

After internship, Mrs. Stocking taught third and fifth grades at Park Elementary, plus, fourth and fifth grade Language Arts at Carnall Elementary (in addition to all subjects for third grade).

The community inside the school is what Mrs. Stocking likes best about being here.

“Everyone seems to get along and like each other for the most part,” Mrs. Stocking said.

Making sure she balances her life at school and her life outside of school is Mrs. Stocking’s biggest challenge as a 6th grade Language Arts teacher.

“There is not enough time in the day to adequately fill the needs and wants at home and school in the ways that I want to,” Mrs. Stocking said. “Emotionally, there are so many students with different stories that make you smile or make you cry. With that, there’s nothing you can do about it but pour into them as much as possible in hopes that they continue to do great and or make something of themselves. While at home, as a teacher, you kind of take these stories with you. You worry, you care and with that you take time away from the very family in front of you by not being present sometimes.”

Outside of school, Mrs. Stocking enjoys reading and hanging out on her couch at home.

“I like to read because it allows you to be somewhere else without actually going anywhere,” Mrs. Stocking said.