PASCO, Wash.- Samantha Shulins-Briggs is a math teacher at McLoughlin Middle School. She was awarded May’s Classroom Makeover from WaFd Bank.
Ms. Shulins-Briggs said she always knew she wanted to be a teacher, but she didn’t decide what she wanted to teach until college.
“I found a passion for math,” said Shulins-Briggs. “I just feel like this age group they are going through so many changes they just need someone in their corner and I was like yeah, I feel like I can do that.”
While math can be intimidating for students, Shulins-Briggs works to make her students feel confident. She was nominated because of how she spends her time out of the classroom, bonding with students in a different way. Shulins-Briggs stays after school to score Fall and Winter sports games.
“It is really cool to see how they are different outside of the classroom and you can connect with them on a different level,” said Shulins-Briggs. “If I don’t have a relationship with them they aren’t going to want to learn from me.”
Ms. Shulin-Briggs said she has always made it a point to build a relationship with students outside of school, even starting a Dungeons and Dragons club at school.
“They all come from different walks of life and are all in one classroom together,” said Shulins-Briggs.
WaFd Bank believes in keeping our community strong through supporting students and teachers. Each month, WaFd and NonStop Local will choose a teacher from nominations by the community and present a check to their classroom. You can nominate a deserving teacher here.
