Ms. Mint Ariyapongpisal (Ariya)

Passionate. That is what our new geometry teacher at SMHS is. Ms. Mint Ariyapongpisal is a new geometry teacher who is very enthusiastic about her job. She breaks down her past and explains how much her dad has inspired her. “I look up to my Dad. He came to the states as someone who was very poor… He now owns several restaurants across Southern California. I really looked up to how hard working he is and how much he was able to provide for my brother and I when we were younger.” With her dad being her inspiration, he inspired her to be better at math, which caused her to be where she is now. ”He always encouraged me to do math,” she said.

Many people believe that boys are better at math than girls. Ms. Ariyapongpisal  proves them wrong in many ways. This is the start of what made her passionate about math. “I was always getting first or second place in my math class because I was a stubborn little girl who wanted to prove everyone wrong.” As she continued to do good in all her classes, she gradually came to the realization that math was her passion. She taught her little brother how to read and write. And, during her college years, she began to tutor high school students. That was when she knew she wanted to become a math teacher.

 Besides teaching, she is also passionate about the outdoors. When asked about her personal life, she says she has five dogs and over fifty plants in her apartment. “I love exploring out in nature with no signal,” she said. Plants are her way of making her home feel more comfortable and passionate since dogs aren’t allowed in her apartment building. Another one of her hobbies is playing video games.

Ms. Ariyapongpisal opens up about her feelings on SMHS. “I really like the math department team and the campus, I love the students and how much they open up during math discussions. I love how friendly they are. I just wish I could experience it at full potential,” she said. Just like the rest of us, she can’t wait to experience it in real life with everyone else around. “This is my second school district. The first school district I taught at was LAUSD. But before that I taught up in the bay area,” she said. She is a young teacher who will lead many students to do great in math like she did.