Tell us about yourself!

Teaching is a calling for me.  I teach because I want to have a positive impact on the world, opening up the world to my students, expanding their world view beyond their personal world.  Teaching about the world and its people is my passion and I use my personal experiences to connect my students to their learning.  This is my 34th year teaching: 4th grade (2 years),  high school for 3 years as a US Peace Corps Volunteer in Kenya, and 29 years in 7th grade math and social studies.  I love teaching middle school -yes, I am slightly crazy :).  One highlight of my career is being the teacher-advisor for several community service clubs, including Student Council, Interact, and No Place For Hate.

Who is your favorite NHL® player and why?

My favorite player is Gabriel Landeskog. The Captain is an amazing leader and an incredible role model. He has created anti-bullying programs for local schools. Fans can tell he is a good person, which takes precedence in his life. And he is so much fun to watch on the ice. (Get well soon, Captain.

What is your favorite part of the Future Goals™program? How do you see STEM in the game of hockey?

I teach in a STEM program, so I love how Future Goals connects the STEM fields to sport. I have many students who love to play sports, so I use Future Goals to connect students’ interest to the academics they are learning in math and science. I personally love watching hockey, and after playing these programs, I learned so much about the science and math behind it. It has expanded my knowledge – and I have a math degree! I love modeling how I am a life-long learner.

If you played hockey, what position would you play and why?

I think I would like to play defense. I played and coached basketball and soccer for over 20 years, and I can see how the basics of defense go across all of these sports. Wish my knees weren’t ruined so I could learn how to skate!