1. Where did you go to high school?

I went to Norwin High School, total opposite side of the city.

2. Where did you go to college?

I went to Slippery Rock University. I was there for both my undergraduate degree and my masters degree also—really loved it there.

3. How long have you been doing this particular job?

Teaching math, this is going on my fifth year now. I had four years at another school, and year number five I just decided to switch things up a bit.

4. Is this job what you’ve always wanted to do or did your path change?

Yeah, I’d say I’ve always wanted to be a teacher. I had it mapped out since tenth grade . . . When I hit college, I always intended to go for teaching, but my undergraduate degree was in mathematics.

5. What is something you want your new students to know about you?

The number one thing I want my new students to know is that it’s okay to ask questions. As teachers, we don’t think less of anyone who’s asking a question. If anything, I just want students to be comfortable.

6. What is your favorite part about your new job?

I will say that my favorite part so far has been the school culture. Starting here, from the teachers to the students, everyone’s been super welcoming and great since I’ve started here.

7. Did where you grow up have an impact on your occupation choice?

I’d say so. In ninth grade I had a math teacher, Mr. Butch, and he made geometry class really fun. I had a lot of teachers who just could communicate well and talk to their students, and I think that had a really positive impact on me.

8. What is your biggest strength that will help you at Beaver Area High School?

I think my biggest strength is communicating and forming those relationships with students. I do try to take the time to get to know students and it’s the most satisfying part. I try to make my way to come out to sporting events; I try to do all the after-school things and just try to take an interest.

9. What is the most satisfying part of your job?

Honestly, it’s doing the little things and getting to know my students because I teach math, but you know not everyone’s going to be an engineer. There are a lot of kids who are going to vocational or x, y, or z, so I just try to help the students; however, I can help them pursue that path.

10. If you could teach any subject other than math, what would it be?

Originally I was going to go for physics (in college) too, but that hurt my brain too much. More recently, I would probably say history. Especially with podcasts now, I’ve been listening to a lot of history podcasts and there’s some cool stuff there.

11. Who was/is your biggest inspiration?

I’m going to have to say my older brother probably. Growing up, he was always the one interested in math and science, and he was really good at them, so I kind of saw him find success in that and I tried to follow along with that too. He’s kind of always led the way in those fields and I always just liked that.

12. What is one thing you wish your students would take away from you and your class?

If there is one thing to take away from my class, it’s that any career you go into, no matter what field, what subject, what area, is going to use some kind of math. Although we can’t take quadratic functions and apply those to every single job field, I guarantee you there will be at least a little bit of math that carries through into something you do.