Students collaborate, pencils move, and brains work hard to solve math problems. Integrated Math teacher Lauren Hall works with students to teach them important lessons and material. Hall, in her eighth year at Poway High School, was selected as teacher of the year by a committee including previous teachers of the year, David White and Denise Gutierrez. English teacher Satin Abtahi nominated her.

   “It’s nice to feel appreciated and seen for hard work amongst a lot of other really good teachers on campus,” Hall said.

   Hall’s math class welcomes students to grow their learn- ing through her dynamic teaching strategies.

   “She finds ways to make learning accessible for all students; she makes it fun and relevant,” Co-Teacher Mindy Karp said.

   Hall’s educational career began in college when she was forced to declare a major to be eligible to play softball. She took a class on careers, which began her interest in becoming a teacher. She was unaware that she wanted to teach, but she began because she had her credentials.

   Hall’s favorite thing about teaching is that it’s never boring; she says she gets to laugh a lot and be around great students and co-work- ers.

   Assistant Principal Dominick Spylios, the math department administrator, listed some of Hall’s positive contributions to the school.

   “She is really well embedded into the school campus culture, she’s coaching athletics, she also does airbands, and she also does our bridge program, which welcomes incoming 8th graders,” Spylios said.

   Math 3A student Kailey Long expresses what makes Hall a great teacher.

   “Ms. Hall is a good math teacher because she cares about us and is super kind. She makes time to work one-on-one with her students and ensures that we understand the material, no matter how long it takes,” Long said.

   The message Hall hopes to get across is that everybody is a math person, and you can succeed even if it’s not your favorite subject.