Teacher from Ballwin Spins and Wins

Ballwin’s Amy Evans, 28, told herself she could never complain again about not being a contestant on “Wheel of Fortune” if she didn’t take the opportunity to audition when the Wheelmobile stopped in St. Louis last November. 

Equipped with hope and the patience to wait in line with thousands of others, Evans’ patience that November day eventually led to winning more than $64,000, including a trip to Barbados, on this Monday’s show.

“I’m really excited and really happy,” Evans said after the show aired Monday night.  “It was so fun to be out there [in L.A.] ... I get to replay the whole weekend and how much fun it was. Meeting Pat and Vanna was like the end-all deal.”

After auditioning in November and returning for a call-back, Evans received the news she’d been chosen as a contestant only one week later after her second tryout. The letter said that it could be up to 18 months before being called upon to appear on the show, but to her surprise, she and her husband got the call in January, barely six weeks later.

A middle school math teacher at The Principia School in St. Louis, Evans’ students were thrilled to hear that their teacher would be on television.

“[The students] are beside themselves, so excited,” she said. “They’ve been trying to guess how much I won. We played a game [before the show] – I asked them to estimate how much I won. Not many kids guessed in the 60-thousand-dollar range.”

She said she’s going to try and teach a lesson or two in classes on Tuesday, but she assured everyone she would answer all their questions after the show aired. Winners receive their prizes 120 days after the show airs, meaning Evans and her husband will receive the money and trip this August, exactly one year after they got married.

“Neither of us have been to Barbados before, so that’s fun to think about,” she said. “But with the prize money, I don’t know. It sounds so boring to say we’re going to save it, but that’s what we’re going to do.”

Although the winning package displayed $64,250 in cash and prizes, contestants only receive about 50 to 60 percent of that amount, due in part to tax law where winnings are treated as income opposed to a gift. Evans said even $30,000 is a big number, but she’s not expecting it to change her family or her future drastically.

“We’re loving where we are right now,” Evans said. “We’re thinking about the future, but we’re focusing on each moment right now. It’s nice to know that we don’t have to be worried about anything along the way.”

Evans said she’s grateful and appreciative of all the good fortune she and her family have, and said she couldn’t have asked for a better experience on the show.

“It was just so much fun,” Evans said. “It was everything I had hoped it would be and so much more. I couldn’t have imagined it any better. The whole day and the game, it was absolutely perfect.”

 Amy Evans Q 'n A

Age: 28

What schools did you attend?

Principia High School for two years and Principia College in Alton, IL.

How did you meet your husband?

"We met as camp counselors. He grew up in Daytona Beach, FL. We ended up going to the same college and he’s lived here for the last four years. We dated and then got married. We got married last August, so it’s almost 8 months."

What grade and subject do you teach?

"I teach middle school. There are about 100 middle school students, 6th, 7th and 8th grade, and I teach math. I also teach at  [Middle School]. It’s on Clayton Road, near 1-64 and 270."

How long have you been in the Ballwin area?

“We moved here in [19]98, so a little over 10 years now.”

Where does your husband work?

“He works for the summer camp that we met at. He’s getting his masters in theological studies, so he’s a full time student. It’s a neat place. I’ll be back for a brief visit this summer, and that will be 20 years.”

How do you feel at this moment after watching the show air today?

“It was so exciting. I just can’t stop smiling. I think there were about 15 people who came over, friends and co-workers to come and cheer and watch with me. We were screaming a lot. Everyone had their own commentary, of course.”

What did you have to do when auditioning? Explain the process.

"I‘ve loved wheel of fortune for a really long time, so when I heard the Wheelmobile was coming to St. Louis, I knew I wanted to at least try. I knew that if I didn’t go, I could never complain that I wasn’t on the show. I went out with my mom and husband. We waited in line, filled out a piece of paper, none of us got picked, [then we] waited around for the second show and they called my name, which was really exciting."

"I tried to sound intelligent. I got an email a month later saying I got invited back for callbacks. There were about 90 people, we did simulated puzzles, [and] we took a test. Then they sent everyone away and said we would get a letter in the next two weeks, and I got a letter a week later. I knew they would make the decision pretty fast. I knew if I didn’t get it in a week, it wasn’t coming at all. All it said was I would be a contestant and I would get a call in the next 18 months … I got the call in mid January and they said can you be out here in 2 weeks. I told all the teachers, booked our plane tickets, got our hotel and flew out."

What was the experience like when filming the show? What was going through your head when spinning the wheel or every time they said how much money you’ve already won, etc.?

"They did our makeup and touch-ups during the whole thing. They had food and came out with water to make sure we were hydrated."

"I was the first one to be filmed that day. We were randomly chosen … There were a bunch of people supporting us and coaching us through everything. They got makeup touch-ups for us, gave us all this advice and then all of a sudden Pat [Sajak] and Vanna [White] are walking out. I don’t think it all hit me until they were standing there actually filming."