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Ms. Carlson was a great force in the math department. I recall playing with little puzzles in her office. She encouraged a bunch of us to keep doing math, so we harassed the school to add a 9th-grade calculus class, which I don’t think ever existed before.
Ms. Carlson coached the Math Counts program, a nationwide math contest. In 8th grade we placed second, third and fourth in Southern California. I probably was a real pain in the neck. We were good at math but also at throwing snack foods, pennies and pencils around the room. Math Counts got us into academic competition, which a lot of us continued over the years. It certainly motivated me to take the most advanced classes available.
Today I’m working on a finance startup that I started with two friends from Math Counts. I’ll also be going to MIT next year to work on a Ph.D. in physics. I have to thank Ms. Carlson for her lasting influence.
-- Andy Lutomirski ’02
A teacher’s passion for a subject and ability to convey that passion can make or break a class. I had the pleasure of getting a teacher who made, not broke, the class.
Kay is incredible both inside the classroom and out. Inside the classroom, her lecturing skills struck me the most. When she explained a new concept, it made sense. She anticipated problems and questions students might have, and adjusted her teaching accordingly. But, if a student were to stay after class willingly, or go to her office, she was always kind, understanding and interested in our lives.
She was more than just a teacher. She was a friend and advisor. When I was deciding which math class to take my junior year, she gave me advice that I still treasure: “Challenge yourself.” She said I’d get more out of the harder class, and it would be more interesting. And she was right.
-- Jon Kass ’06
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