This year, Oakdale High School welcomes many new teachers, one of which is Ariana Rivas Hernandez or Ms. Rivas. She is new to the math department, currently teaching algebra 1B and algebra 2 honors. This is Rivas’s first year teaching, and she has already become an influential member of Oakdale staff.

“I enjoy being able to help students understand math and helping them become more confident in their own skills.” Rivas explains. 

“If you have a question about the material she will try and help quickly and the best she can. She’s there for the students if they need any help.” Jonah Spears, a freshman at Oakdale and one of her algebra 1B students, adds.Spears was surprised to hear that Rivas is a new teacher. 

“I’m surprised to know this is her first year because she seems like she’s been teaching for a while, overall she is just a good teacher,” he explains. As one of her students, Spears has spent a lot of time in her class and is able to see how she teaches.

”She’s smart and knows what she is doing as a teacher,” he elaborates.

Rivas chose to go into education because of her relationships with past teachers, as well as her experience tutoring others. She has been interested in teaching for a long time and believes it is her calling. 

“I have always had a passion for math throughout middle/high. I felt that it always came easier to me,” Rivas shares. “I find that algebra is very much like a puzzle, finding the missing pieces in each problem.” she continues.

While in school, Rivas found an interest in tutoring math, this led her to the decision to become a math teacher. As a teacher, Rivas wants to help students to understand math concepts and skills. Her goal is to help students put the pieces together and she wants to see her students succeed.

Rivas attended two years at Montgomery College and finished at Salisbury University. While at Montgomery College, she began to take some engineering classes. She quickly discovered that although she enjoyed engineering, it wasn’t right for her. She knew teaching and helping kids was what she wanted to do. While in school, she studied Secondary Education-mathematics after realizing teaching was right for her.

She truly believes that providing education is right for her. She can’t see herself doing anything else. She has wanted to be a teacher for most of her life and believes it to be her calling. Rivas mentions that she feels Oakdale has been very welcoming, and feels the school is very close to home. She is a welcome addition to the math department and Oakdale’s community as a whole.