Why do you think students should study math even if they are not pursuing a STEM career?

I love how math teaches students how to think about problems or situations in a logical step-by-step manner.  It teaches students to think about different ways to solve problems, not to give up, and to ask other students in their group for help.  I want my students to learn these skills and apply them to their lives!  Throughout their lives, they will most likely run into several problems or difficult situations.  I want my students to realize that if they think about their life problem in several different ways, if they persevere, and ask others for help, that they can find an answer to most of their life problems too.

If you had your own talk show, who would your first three guests be?

1. Prince Harry: I love how down-to-earth he is and the care he expresses to everyone and to the earth.
2. Ellen DeGeneres: I enjoy the happiness and laughter her talk show and game show brings to others.
3. Oprah Winfrey: I grew up watching Oprah with my mom.  I loved how she made everyone on her show feel welcome and comfortable.  Can you believe I sent Oprah an invitation to my wedding?  I still have the response card she sent back.  It says, “Thank you for the invitation, but I will not be able to attend.”

If you were to have a job other than teaching, what career would you be interested in pursuing? Why?

The two things I know I love: teaching and being a mom.  So, if I had to pursue another career, I would become a second or third grade teacher.  I think this would be the best of both worlds.  I could teach and be their “teacher mom.”

Which of the seven dwarfs are you most like (Happy, Grumpy, Sleepy, Sneezy, Dopey, Bashful, Doc)?

I wish there was a “Busy” dwarf because that best describes me right now.  However, Happy dwarf would be my next choice.  I am grateful every day for the things I have been given and the things I have worked for.  I love my family, my friends, and my job.  What more could I ask for?

What did you think was cool when you were young(er) but isn’t cool now?

Riding in the car, blaring the music!   Every time I’m sitting at a stoplight and I hear the “bass” booming from another car, I smile, and think back to when I was young too.

If you were given one thousand acres of land, what would you do with it?

If I had 1,000 acres of land, I would donate it to the National Parks.  Every summer, my family goes camping and visits the National Parks.  We enjoy being outside and spending time together.  I think it would be incredible to leave an everlasting fingerprint on the world and be able to donate land to the National Parks for generations to enjoy.

If you could live in any television show, what show would you want to live in? Why?

I would love to go on The Amazing Race with my husband!   I think we would make the perfect team.  It would be incredible to travel around the world with my husband, race from clue box to clue box, and compete against the other teams!  Who knows, maybe when we retire, we can be the “old couple” on the show competing against all of the younger teams!

Would you rather never be stuck in traffic again or never get another cold?

Given the choice, I would say, “Never be stuck in traffic again!”  Being stuck in traffic is the worst!  There is never a good time to be “stuck in traffic.”   It may sound silly, but sometimes I enjoy catching a cold.  Laying on the coach, drifting in and out of sleep, isn’t really that bad, is it?

If you could give one piece of advice to your high school self, what would that advice be?

I would tell myself to “Talk more in school.”  As a student, I was quiet, and I did my work.  As an athlete, I was myself.  I wish I could have shown my personality a little more in the classroom.  However, school was very different when I went to school.  Students were supposed to be quiet.