Mrs. Stickel, a second-year math teacher at the Senior High, is often confused with Mrs. Stekl, the French teacher. Many people aren’t aware of the newer teachers at Victor unless they have them as a teacher personally, so I’d like to give an honorary spotlight to my favorite algebra teacher, Mrs. Stickel. However, to avoid confusion, she also teaches geometry.
As I interviewed her, in her second year here, not many of her opinions have changed since her first year, in 2024. One thing that stood out to me when I was her student was her uplifting attitude and her ability to create a happy atmosphere in her classroom. Even when she had her in her fourth period, she never treated her last class any differently from her first classes of the day, which reflects her positive vibe that carried throughout the entire day. 
Mrs. Stickel highlighted math teachers, Mrs. Dietz and Mrs. Wagner, for helping her become comfortable as a new teacher and getting her into the “groove” during her first year. Before teaching, Mrs. Stickel lived on Long Island, which explains her strong accent she brought over to Rochester. Attending SUNY Geneseo for college, initially majoring in biology for a month before switching to education. In school, she was inspired to become a teacher by her third-grade teacher, who significantly influenced her positive attributes toward teaching. However, she didn’t develop a passion for teaching until she began her college studies.
She finds one thing significantly different from when she was in high school: students now sleeping in class and resting their heads on desks during lessons, which wasn’t tolerated at all when she was a student. She highlights the importance of this because of her intense efforts to bring enjoyment to kids in school, which underscores the disrespect now given to teachers, regardless of their hard work. In high school, her favorite class was math, specifically algebra, and her IB courses, which continued her love for math into her adult years, ultimately leading to a career in math.
Her favorite grade to teach is ninth grade, although she wishes, in general, that there was more respect in the education department and towards teachers, not just in this building, but everywhere from all grades and students. Ultimately, outside of school, her husband, Marcus, and her family motivate her daily, and the challenges she faces are time balance, although each year it gets easier for her. This includes creating connections with students and other teachers, which she has successfully followed at the beginning of her career.
In the future, Mrs. Stickel looks forward to staying at Victor for a long time and having her own children. Although she has only been at Victor for a short time, she has made a significant impact on the school and had a profound effect on her students’ lives. She encourages students to develop a passion for math and maintain a positive attitude, being present every day. In my opinion, newer teachers deserve a spotlight of their own, and most importantly, Mrs. Stickel.
