I received an A+ in algebra, geometry, and advanced     algebra, all without studying. No, I do not teach myself math at home and no, I was not born smart. No, I received an A+ because the first and second year math courses at         Arrowhead Union High School were nothing new for me --   instead, they were a review.
     Attending St. Joan of Arc School from four to fourteen, I  was not sure what to expect having 600 kids in my grade     (rather than 11). But more importantly, I did not know how   challenging high school classes would be.
     Mrs. Gross, my middle school math teacher at St. Joan of Arc taught my class algebra, trigonometry, and bits and      pieces of my current high school math class -- functions.     She challenged us, but she had her reasons. It turns out a  B in her middle school math class would easily earn you A’s in high school. I felt proud knowing that hours of doing  homework in middle school was paying off in ways I never expected. Math became my second language.
     Walking into Mrs. Gross’ classroom was like taking a       break from a marathon for a cold glass of Gatorade. Mrs.    Gross taught math in a way that made kids excited. She        implemented a system that rewarded us for catching           mistakes she made. That way, her students were alert and paying attention to details, which is critical when working     through problems.
     Not only did Mrs. Gross teach us how to do math              problems, but she also taught us how to use math in our       lives. She told us stories of her husband needing to know    trigonometry in his workplace and she explained we could make six figures if we became statistical analysts for the     MLB. She even took time on the weekend to organize and  drive students to math competitions. She took my class of   eleven and meshed us into a family. She found a way to    make her students want to learn math. Trust me, there are  not many seventh graders that want to go to a math contest at 7:00 AM on a Saturday, but being in her classroom every day, her love for math begins to wear off on you -- it              certainly did for me.
     Thank you, Mrs. Gross, for not just teaching me math, but for creating a passion I will have for the rest of my life. Thank you for making your classroom a place where no one is   afraid to ask questions, and thank you for preparing me for  the rest of my life.