Rebecca Becnel teaches trigonometry and calculus to grades ten through twelve at Long Beach High School in Long Beach. Her most memorable experience as an educator occurred five years ago when she and her students submitted a video project to a NASA-sponsored competition to name the new space shuttle. "We were thrilled to learn that our project was chosen as Mississippi's winner in the competition and most of all that NASA decided to name the newest space shuttle 'Endeavor.' Each time I see the Endeavor launched, I remembered those students and their creative spirit," says Mrs. Becnel. A commitment to creative learning is central to Mrs. Becnel's approach: "I want my students to enjoy math, to recognize that real people discovered the properties they study, and to realize that they also have the potential to discover the infinite." Mrs. Becnel would like to develop a program where in high school students would present math-related projects to elementary school students. The pedagogical philosophy implicit in such a program reflects Mrs. Becnel's belief that a community of learners is essential to a successful education.
