Ms. Cristina Gapuz, is a math teacher located in room 302, for the past few years, she has been primarily teaching Integrated Math III, regular Precalculus, and honors Precalculus.

Ms. Gapuz did not always start off wanting to become a teacher.  She did not take education as her major in college, but when she returned to her hometown, her old high school principal asked if she could substitute. This opportunity changed everything, and she has been teaching ever since.

She has always loved math ever since she was a young girl. She especially enjoys math as she finds the subject focuses more on understanding than memorization, which she never preferred. She encourages her students to focus on the process of solving problems instead of just the final answer. She hopes her students will take this lesson beyond the classroom, recognizing that the process of learning is just as important in life as it is in math.

Outside of teaching, she really enjoys making music, she sings in her church choir, plays the guitar, and she used to play the piano. Her involvement in music highlights her creativity beyond academics.

A teacher who inspired her was her cousin, who was both her physics and college algebra teacher. That influence helped shape her approach to teaching today. While she finds the most challenging part of teaching is students who are disrespectful, she believes the most rewarding part is seeing what past students become outside of class.

“It’s a gift to see former students,” expressed Ms. Gapuz. “Seeing them become lawyers and doctors is a rewarding feeling.”