“As word nerds, educators are trained for this! Knowing how words are put together, blended and spelled sure helps!”

Laura Trammell, a sixth grade teacher and member of the Saddleback Valley Educators Association in Orange County, confesses she has been a lifelong Wheel of Fortune fan. “I’ve always wanted to be on Wheel. I have watched for many years, and told my husband, if he could figure out how to get me on the show, I would try my hardest to win us something.”

Laura Trammell reacts with shock as “Wheel of Fortune” host Pat Sajak tells her she has won a new house.

She went on the show hoping for a little cash or a trip. After she correctly gave the answer “I caught a glimpse,” for the first time in its 46-year history, Wheel of Fortune gave away a brand-new house. Trammell’s success winning a home in Daytona Beach, Florida, was beyond any expectations. “Little did I know that this all would have happened!” she says.

While teachers have no overt advantage as contestants on Wheel, “knowing how words are put together, blended and spelled sure helps!” she explains. “As word nerds, we’re trained for this!”

Trammell attained celebrity status upon her return to school after the show’s airing on April 27, 2021. “I opened my door Wednesday morning to let my students in the classroom, and they all cheered and clapped! There was an announcement over the school PA, and many colleagues and my admin came to visit me in my classroom.”

She was touched by the outpouring and how everyone was so genuinely happy for her. “I felt a little like a rock star that day! And curriculum took a break for the day, too!”

As for her Florida prize, she and her husband are still figuring out what the future looks like with their new home. “Right now, we are in the process of finalizing all of the options we get to choose from.” The completion date is set for June 2022, and their preliminary plan is to rent it until they are both a little closer to retirement. “And then,” she admits, “we will have some more big decisions to make!”