Julia Tompkins always balances fun and education in her freshman-year history class. But the third-year teacher never pictured herself at the front of a classroom. 

"I was the kid that said, 'Why do we need to know history? It's the past. It's never going to affect my future," Tompkins said. "But I realized growing up and listening to my own history teachers that it is so important."

The SUNY Cortland graduate takes inspiration from those past teachers, always relating to her students. Tompkins makes sure her student-led classroom is always a safe space, always asking her students for opinions on her lessons.

"I don't need to listen to any other adults opinions. I get that all the time. I love hearing what kids have to say and what they think and how they think things, and they're our future," Tompkins said. "So I look forward to them and knowing what they can do."

It's not just inside the classroom Tompkins gives confidence to students. 

The third-year teacher runs the Sisterz for Sisterz club, hosting the school's "Prom Dress Fashion Show" and receiving over 50 prom dress donations to give to students who couldn't afford one. 

It's these events that show sometimes the biggest lessons aren't always learned in the classroom.

"If they walk away thinking Julius Caesar is cool and what a crazy story that is that his best friend stabbed him in the back. Awesome," Tompkins said. "But if they never know who Julius Caesar is again, I really don't care as long as they remember, you know, the life lessons that I teach in the classroom."