As a previous first-grade teacher of six years, summer break was spent cleaning your room and gearing up for all the new students that will enter your classroom door! This meant scoring the best deals in the Target dollar spot and Dollar Tree. I even took a chair from a neighbor on garbage day to re-purpose for my classroom. It was always exciting and required a lot of thought, time, creativity, and of course – money.
Now, imagine every few years you walk into a brand-new classroom in a completely different state or even country. Each school district comes with varying budgets and available furniture and resources. Many milsos redecorate, design, and thoughtfully plan their classroom space every few years or even annually. One way we can support a WAF in the teacher profession is through supporting their Amazon wish list – this allows them to continue having resources needed for themselves and their classroom community while easing the financial burden. In helping military spouse teachers, you are helping the military community!
Choose teacher MILSOs to donate to from their Amazon wish list below:
- Tell us about you: A former government analyst answered an internal calling and switched careers to teach. Ten years in, even with a pandemic, upheavals in education and an exodus from the profession, there’s nothing else she’d rather do! With years devoted to government work between she and her husband, she was also a military child, moving all over the world as her father served as an Air Force Officer for 27 years.
- What do you treasure about teaching? She personally sets a high bar for herself in her advocacy for democracy, equal rights, building safe spaces for everyone, and challenging her students to think differently, more broadly, and critically. Her commitment to better their writing skills is also evident in the assignments she gives, albeit if that means piles of additional grading for her. Being in the classroom with her high school students, learning from them as much as they do from her, she’s confident she’s contributing to a better future.
- Tell us about you: This will be my second year teaching 6th grade and I am extremely excited to get back!
- How long you’ve been a WAF? My husband and I have been married since January of 2021, but we have dated since we were 15. I was officially a military girlfriend as soon as he turned 18 and enlisted!
- Where are you currently stationed? My husband is full-time at the Air-Guard base in Knoxville, Tennessee. With this job, there isn’t moving around, so it’s nice to be near family and have the support whenever he has to deploy!
- What do you treasure about teaching? What I treasure most is growing relationships with my students and seeing how they progress throughout the year. It makes me so proud to see them meet little goals throughout the year. I’m truly blessed to be a part of it! I love seeing the “good side” of 6th graders that many don’t always get to see.
- Tell us about you: My name is Bailey Quebedeaux, I am originally from Lake Charles Louisiana and I’m 23 years old. I am a dog mom of 2 Hazel Grace and Holly Grace.
- How long you’ve been a WAF?: It hasn’t been long at all, we started dating in January 2021, got engaged July 8th 2022, and just got married July 9th 2023!
- Where are you currently stationed: We are currently stationed at NAS Pensacola while he finishes his training.
- What do you treasure about teaching? The thing I love about speech therapy is how I can help everyone in their own special way. I love helping the students find their voice and become more comfortable and confident in their speech, language, and cognitive abilities!
- Tell us about you: I’m Tiffany Melendez, mom of 2 boys, navy wife and special educator. My family and I are obsessed with the beach and call Florida our “home”.
- How long you’ve been a WAF? This is my 13th year being a WAF and currently surviving deployment #5!
- Where are you currently stationed? We are now stationed in Sasebo, Japan.
- What do you treasure about teaching? This will be my 2nd year working for DoDEA overseas. I’ve been a special education teacher for 8 years. This year I will be working with 2nd-5th graders at a new school and really excited. I feel really confident in supporting struggling learners and treasure each learning experience this far. Traveling and now teaching in Japan has opened up new perspectives and I strive to be a better me and mentor everyday!
- Tell us about you: Hi, I’m Kati! I’m a wife and mom of 4 kids and 2 dogs. Life is crazy all the time. I love taking my kids to their sports and activities, which is a full-time job in itself. We have a blast following all of their passions.
- How long you’ve been a WAF? I have been an Air Force wife for 14 years! I almost stopped to recount because that surely can’t be true. The last 14 years flew right by!
- Where are you currently stationed? We are currently stationed at the Pentagon. This is our second time being in Northern Virginia.
- What do you treasure about teaching? I love so many things about teaching. My favorite thing is building relationships with kids and watching them grow into the person they were meant to be. In the classroom, I love to teach kids to make messes and mistakes. I believe we learn a lot more by fixing something than we do getting it right the first time. If my kiddos don’t go home exhausted from their discoveries, then I haven’t done my job. We strive to really take big risks to make a lot of learning happen.
- Tell us about you: I’m Ashley, proud wife, Mama to three and returning classroom teacher. After 10 years at home raising my sweet kids, I’m back in the classroom teaching second grade.
- How long you’ve been a WAF? I’ve been able to call myself an Air Force wife for seven years.
- Where are you currently stationed? We are loving Joint Base Charleston in South Carolina.
- What do you treasure about teaching? I love building relationships with my students and their families. Making these longstanding connections is the greatest gift.
- Tell us about you: My name is Natalie and I am a high school teacher.
- How long you’ve been a WAF? 5 years
- Where are you currently stationed? Charleston, SC
- What do you treasure about teaching? My favorite part of teaching is the genuine connections I make with my kiddos. Being a high school teacher allows me to get to know kids on a deeper level and become a person they trust and come to for support and guidance as they grow into adulthood. My kids are just that, my kids. I may not have birthed them or raised them but I love them as if I had. I celebrate their wins and mourn their losses as if they were my own.
- Tell us about you: My name is Stephanie, and I’m a Teacher of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing. I have been married to my soldier for 9 years. Together, we have two beautiful children. Outside of teaching, our family and I love to explore the area surrounding our duty station, especially restaurants and ice parlors!
- How long you’ve been a WAF? I have been a WAF for nine years, but 11 years by my husband’s side since he joined.
- Where are you currently stationed? We are currently stationed at Fort Meade, Maryland. We recently moved from JBAB in DC.
- What do you treasure about teaching? I love being a mentor to my students because I, too, live with hearing loss. My students rarely get to meet another person like them who has lived in their shoes, and to be able to share life’s challenges living with hearing loss. I truly have the best job in the world!
- Tell us about you: My name is Brooklyn Johnson. I love spending time with my family and friends. I enjoy all things outside. Hiking, swimming, camping, golfing, hunting, and biking especially.
- How long you’ve been a WAF? I’ve been married 2 years
- Where are you currently stationed? My husband is stationed at Pearl Harbor but I will be teaching at Marine Corps Base Hawaii
- What do you treasure about teaching? I love helping kids gain knowledge. No matter what happens to them in this big crazy world, knowledge never goes away. I also treasure the relationships. I love getting to share a piece of their lives.
- Tell us about you: Me and my husband have been together since high school. We have two pups and enjoy taking them on hikes, to the river, and all of the parks that Boise has to offer! We are originally from Georgia so we are enjoying getting to experience a totally different part of the country while in Idaho. I am an elementary ESL Teacher and absolutely love it! This is by far my favorite school I have ever been at.
- How long you’ve been a WAF? I have been a WAF for a little over six years and have been to 5 locations within that time period.
- Where are you currently stationed? We are currently stationed at MHAFB in Idaho but we live and I work in Boise. We love taking advantage of all that the city has to offer!
- What do you treasure about teaching? What I love most about teaching is the specific community I serve. As an ESL Teacher, I have the unique opportunity to learn about many other cultures. I am also able to be an advocate for families who need some extra support. Many of my students are refugee families and I love that I am able to play a small role in helping them get adjusted to life in the States.
- Tell us about you: I teach high school science (biology and environmental). I have taught in two states now and going into my 7th year teaching high school science. I also coach high school cheerleading! I recently started my doctorate in education this summer. Being at a busy base, I’ve been able to enjoy time with my rescue dog and other supportive and amazing WAFs/ GAFs!
- How long you’ve been a WAF? Been with my significant other since 2015.
- Where are you currently stationed? Currently at JBLM in Tacoma, WA!
- What do you treasure about teaching? I teach the older ones (high school) and I teach most of their least favorite subject: science! I love seeing my students learn something new, improve in the classroom, and enjoy and look forward to coming to class! I also love inspiring them to do more than what they ever thought they were capable of and strive for more after high school. Building relationships and being their cheerleader is something I truly treasure.
- Tell us about you: I am Abby! I started my teaching career as a Middle School Language Arts teacher in San Antonio, met my now husband, relocated and taught in Del Rio and Brackettville, TX, before moving to Omaha and taking an Elementary School Counseling position. I enjoy spending time with our 3 rescue dogs, reading, running, plants, camping, and trying new breweries with my husband.
- How long you’ve been a WAF? 4 years officially.
- Where are you currently stationed? Offutt AFB in Omaha, NE, an underrated treasure of a place to live.
- What do you treasure about teaching? I love being the supportive human kids come to when they are struggling or need a break. Encouraging kids to become the best people they can be and see the world in a more positive light are my favorite parts of counseling, especially in post Covid times. The items on my list will help with students who take breaks with me, as well as small group counseling sessions and books to read for classroom guidance lessons!
- Tell us about you: My name is Tori, and I’m going to be teaching 9th Grade English this year. This will be my fourth year of teaching. My husband and I are high school sweethearts and have two golden doodles, Bentley and Jackson. We’re also expecting our first child, a baby girl, in November and are PCSing to Dover AFB 2 weeks before school starts. This year is bringing a lot of new and exciting (and scary!) things for us. I love making my classroom a warm and welcoming environment, including having a little reading corner for students to get cozy with a book and a small personal library for students to borrow from. I taught 8th Grade English at our previous assignment.
- How long you’ve been a WAF? I’ve been a wife for 5 years, but dated my husband long distance for the 4 years that he attended the Air Force Academy, so I’ve been living the Armed Forces significant other life for 9 years now.
- Where are you currently stationed? For the next few weeks, we are stationed at JBLM in Tacoma, WA. Soon we are PCSing to Dover AFB in Delaware. We’ve previously been stationed at Columbus AFB in Mississippi.
- What do you treasure about teaching? There are two things I treasure most about teaching: seeing students grow and being their safe space. There’s something magical about watching a student who didn’t think they could do something completely knock that exact skill out of the park. But most importantly, I love being a safe landing space for students, especially those who maybe don’t have another safe space in their life. The after school and between classes conversations with students are the highlights of my day. At my previous school, I had a group of about 10 past students who would come and hang out in my room, and those were some of the best moments.
- Tell us about you: My name is Stephanie, and I am an elementary special education teacher. Outside of teaching, I enjoy spending time with family outdoors, hiking, slow nights beside the campfire, kayaking, and playing board games with friends.
- How long you’ve been a WAF? I have been a WAF for four years.
- Where are you currently stationed? We are stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, AK.
- What do you treasure about teaching? I love teaching because I have the privilege of providing students with opportunities that can foster positive relationships with learning through accessible and equitable experiences that utilize their individual strengths.
- Tell us about you: I’m Cherelle.
- How long you’ve been a WAF? I have been married to my husband for five years.
- Where are you currently stationed? We are stationed at NAS Whidbey Island, and it is beautiful!
- What do you treasure about teaching? I love the connections I get to make every year with my little besties. They are the best. They make me strive to be the best educator I can be, year after year.
- Tell us about you: Hi! I am a second year 4th grade teacher in a small town in Arizona! I was a long term sub previously which led me to this 4th grade position! I am also the middle school girls basketball coach and coed soccer coach. My husband and I have been together for 11 years and married for 4 (tomorrow!). We have a 5 year old german shorthaired pointer, Bindi! We are currently pregnant with our first baby, a girl, due October 21st and are so so excited! We were both born and raised in Iowa before moving with the Air Force. In our free time, we love to spend time with our friends, explore the outdoors with Bindi, and cheer on the Hawkeyes!
- How long you’ve been a WAF? I have been a WAF for the last 9 years. (girlfriend for 5, wife for 4).
- Where are you currently stationed? My husband and I are currently stationed at Davis Monthan AFB in Tucson, AZ.
- What do you treasure about teaching? I treasure so many amazing things about teaching but the most important to me is the relationships I build throughout the year. I strive to be the teacher my students will always remember and I love when my past students run up to me in the hall after they have moved on. I hope my classroom can always be a safe place for my students to advance in their learning while always having fun and creating lasting memories. One of my favorite memories was taking my girls basketball team to the state championships and winning this last winter!
- Tell us about you: Outside of my family and teaching I enjoy running, working out and slow rainy days at home. My favorite seasons are fall and winter.
- How long you’ve been a WAF? I’ve been an Air Force wife for 16 years.
- Where are you currently stationed? We are currently stationed at Hill AFB in Utah.
- What do you treasure about teaching? I treasure the love I can give my students. My students come from low income families who often face difficulties getting their daily needs met: I truly love being able to create a safe, loving and fun space for them to grow and learn, with academics and as young people.
- Tell us about you: Hi! My name is Shannon Taylor, and I am a proud army wife currently stationed at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, CO. My husband is overseas completing his first deployment. I am the Dean of Students, Middle School Math, Middle School STEM, and 8th grade Theology/HR teacher! I wear many, many hats, which comes with so many different needs.
- How long you’ve been a WAF? I have been a WAF for 2 years.
- Where are you currently stationed? Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, CO.
- What do you treasure about teaching? What I treasure about teaching is being able to be a touchpoint for my students on their way to heaven! Parents are the primary educators, and I am here to support, guide, and mold these little (and big!) souls into become all that God created them to be. Middle school can be a tough three years. Being the teacher that gets to see and hear the tears, struggles, and drama that comes with it isn’t a burden, it’s a blessing!
- Tell us about you: My name is Lexie and I am a special education teacher. This will be my 4th year teaching and my 4th classroom, due to PCSing. I have worked with 3 completely different populations, but I have the biggest passion for educating students with autism and big behaviors.
- How long you’ve been a WAF? I have been a WAF for 3 years.
- Where are you currently stationed? I am currently stationed at Langley AFB in Hampton, VA.
- What do you treasure about teaching? I treasure the opportunity to prepare my students for their future and for the real world. I love making relationships with my students and their families, as well as advocating for anyone with a disability.
Stefanie’s daughter, Michelle, who is also a WAF, submitted her mother’s wishlist.
- Tell us about you: My mom’s name is Stefanie Seaver.
- How long you’ve been a WAF? She is a retired WAF
- Where are you currently stationed? She is currently stationed at Fort Cavazos after retirement.
- What do you treasure about teaching? My mom treasures making a difference in the children’s lives and watching the light bulb go off when something clicks in their mind.
If you would like to submit your classroom wish list, please email us at [email protected]. We would love to support and feature you!
Meet Sarah
Sarah is a WAF of two years and newer to military life. Sarah and her husband are both from Indianapolis and left everything and everyone they knew when he decided on the Air Force. Sarah taught first grade for six years in Indiana before they moved to their first duty station and lived in Alexandria, Virginia.
PCSing in the middle of the school year, Sarah made the difficult decision to leave the classroom. In addition to being a stay-at-home mom, she is now the content coordinator for Wives of the Armed Forces and loves being a part of this engaging and connected community! In her free time, Sarah enjoys reading, cooking, organizing, and playing pickleball. Sarah, her husband, daughter (Margo), and silver lab (Baker) live outside of Kansas City, Missouri, and are making the most of all the adventure the military throws their way!
