By Annie Reed and Madelyn Morgan

Karen Albright (left) with her daughter, Middle School math teacher Allie Albright. Photo courtesy of Karen Albright.

During Spirit Week last month, Collegiate teachers in the Upper School were given a challenge. Whichever department was the most spirited throughout the week won. Pictures of each department dressed up for Spirit Week were voted on by Collegiate students through the SCA Instagram. The winner was the math department, which came as no surprise.

In a interview with The Match, math department chair Karen Albright reflected on how tight-knit the math department community is. Albright remembered when the math department first heard about the Spirit Week challenge: “The challenge was out there, and the challenge was accepted.” The whole department went all out every day that week, whether it was Jan Rodgers’ USA outfit or Albright’s inflatable turkey costume. She claimed it was a “perfect example of how we embraced how we are a competitive group.” The math department’s competitiveness was clearly shown through their costumes for all of Spirit Week, landing them a win as the most decorated department. 

Along with their competitive nature, the math department is also a group of incredibly talented individuals. Albright stated: “Our whole department across the board is really strong. While they teach differently, I think everyone ends up connecting.” Department members feed off of each other’s success, creating a “supportive group that stands out.”

The math teachers are not simply coworkers; they are also friends. Outside of the classroom, the math department does a White Elephant Gift Exchange yearly. They all gather at someone’s house for a great meal and to be together. Albright reflected on how fun these holiday parties are: “Every year, there’s something that happens where we all end up crying because we are laughing so hard.”

With the recent addition of three math department babies, Albright reflected that this year the department as a whole has been “enjoying and embracing times of life.” Despite being at different stages in life, all of the teachers in the department are able to come together to spread their love for mathematics. Having all worked at different schools, Albright noted, “The supportive group here stands out.” They are able to come together to be less of a department and more like a family.

Featured image credit: printerval.com.