Mater Academy High teacher Larissa Perez was recognized as a Springboard Teacher of Distinction at the annual AP College Board Conference in Washington D.C.
Perez is the first-ever mathematics teacher to be awarded with the honor.
She shares the honor with Alyssa Broussard, a sixth grade English Language Arts teacher at LJ Alleman Middle School in Louisiana and Amanda Olinger, a 7th and 8th grade English Language Arts teacher at Harrisburg North Middle School in South Dakota.
These three Teachers of Distinction will become members of the SpringBoard teacher advisory council; they will have the opportunity to review new materials, participate in pilot opportunities, and attend the SpringBoard Pre-Conference and AP Annual Conference.
“These teachers not only exemplify teaching excellence, but they also provide every student with the opportunity to become an effective citizen within their school and community,” said Auditi Chakravarty, vice president of SpringBoard and Pre-AP Programs at the College Board.
Perez says her passion allows her students to make connections and find a hidden love for math. “I love it when in the middle on a lesson my students say, ‘Mrs. Perez you just blew my mind, what’s next?’ Comments like that are what make me love what I do and want to continue doing it,” she said.