I was born and raised in Cambodia for over 13 years before I came to the U.S. in 1996. I started my high school journey at Cleveland High School in Seattle before my parents moved north to Lynnwood, where I went to Edmonds-Woodway High School and graduated in 2000. High school was definitely an interesting time for me, not only because of my language barrier but also it was a steep learning curve for all my academic classes. I had less than 4 years to take on a new culture, new language, and new knowledge of many subjects including math, sciences, and history. I was fortunate that I actually enjoy learning; and that definitely helped a lot.

I went on to study at the University of Washington for a Bachelor of Science in Applied Computational Mathematics and Sciences. I was not sure what I wanted to do at the time, but I knew that I want to do math-related work. While doing my undergrad, I was working part-time at the College of Education as a student assistant, where I learned many things including the field of education. I applied my senior year into the Curriculum and Instruction in Mathematics Education program. So, I spent the next two years working on my Master, and in 2006 I finally earned a degree in Mathematics Education and went on to become a teacher.

I started teaching at the Northwest School in the fall of 2007.  This job has been more than what I had ever imagined teaching is like. I have great students who enjoy learning, great colleagues who love what they do, and wonderful admins who have supported me in every step of the way. I have grown tremendously over the past 5 years working here at the Northwest School. I have been given many opportunities to grow and learn, one of which was going back to Cambodia to work with Teachers Across Borders for 3 straight years.  I also volunteered at various NGO’s while I was in Cambodia with many disadvantage youth from the streets and slums of Phnom Penh.

My experience working with these underserved youth definitely made me humble and appreciative of the things I have. I hope to be able to provide the same opportunity for some of these youth to go to school, or at least attaining some form of education. After all, some of them might be, just maybe, turn out to be “the president of a great nation.”