Teacher Feature: Mrs. Youndt
By Sanjana Bijlani, Managing Editor

Movie: “Stand By Me”
Music: Third Day and Michael W. Smith
Book: “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” - Dr. Seuss
Food: Homemade chili
Quote: “We All Use Math Everyday,” inspired by the TV show “NUMB3RS”

The SPOKE: What did you like about high school math?
YOUNDT: In high school, friends in my pre-calculus and calculus classes would come over to my house to study before a test. I really enjoyed helping them and soon other students would ask to come over.

The SPOKE: When did you decide to become a teacher?
YOUNDT: Before the end of my senior year, I decided that I wanted to be a teacher, and math was a natural fit. It was always my strongest subject in school.

The SPOKE: If you weren’t a teacher, what other profession would you have liked to pursue?
YOUNDT: Playing in a pit orchestra for shows and musicals would have been my other choice.

The SPOKE: Were you involved in any extracurricular activities at school?
YOUNDT: I played the flute and piccolo in my high school marching band. I also participated in service clubs and I was on the track team for a few years. I had a few part-time jobs and was active in the church youth group.

The SPOKE: What’s the most important piece of advice you would give to a student?
YOUNDT: Whatever your goals and dreams are, map out a plan with benchmarks and find ways to measure your successes along the way. No goal is too ambitious if you break it down into a series of smaller goals.

The SPOKE: If you could take any class at Conestoga, what would you take?
YOUNDT: Honestly, criminal justice sounds very interesting and it even has a field trip to the prison.

The SPOKE: What is your favorite unit of math to teach?
YOUNDT: I love to teach probability in finite math and in statistics. I want students to know that random does not mean haphazard, and that there is a reason casinos and insurance companies make a lot of money.

Appeared originally on p. 17 of The Spoke’s Oct. 16, 2009 issue.