Meet Mrs. Lupica, teacher of mathematics and elephant lover! Find out more about why she became a teacher and why she chooses to teach math!

Q–What do you teach?

A–I teach Geometry and AFDA (Algebraic Functions and Data Analysis)

Q–Why did you come to LHS and how long have you been here?

A–I have been at LHS 3 years. I worked at Berkeley Middle School as a substitute and Paraprofessional  for 10 years prior to coming to LHS. I came to LHS because I wanted a change from the middle school level.

Q–What college did you go to?

A–I earned my associates degree from Thomas Nelson Community College (now known as Virginia Peninsula Community College. I earned my bachelor’s in applied mathematics from Southern New Hampshire University and my Teacher Licensure from Mary Baldwin University.

A–Why did you decide to teach?

Q–I have wanted to teach since I was a small child. However, I knew I wanted to teach mathematics since the 6^th grade. Mrs. Smith at Berkeley middle school was my math teacher, and I loved her inventive ways of teaching and engaging her students. She made the class fun.

Q–What do you love about your job?

A–This is a complicated question:

• I love teaching in general because I can connect with students academically. Being able to see the lightbulb go off is the biggest reward.
• I love working at LHS because of the other staff members. This has been the best community of teacher I could ask for.
•  I love teaching math because you can use so many different methods to get to the same answer. I apply this to life. There is no one right path to achieve your goal or final answer. You can go to college, trade school, or just enter the workforce.  However, there is only one final outcome for your life. You have only one life, one chance, one final solution; make it count using any means necessary.

Q–What are your hobbies outside school?

A–I enjoy spending time with my family. I have 2 amazing daughters, Lilianna and Madison who are 2 and 16 respectively. I am also married to my best friend. They are my entire life and I spend ever second I can with them having new adventures and creating new memories.

Q–Do you have any advice for young people today?

A–Open your eyes to the world around you. There is so much beauty and hope in this world we live in even when times are tough or seem like you’re surrounded with ugliness or darkness. You have to choose what you are going to provide back to the world. Will you give back more darkness or beauty and hope? At the end of the day, every person has a choice, and every choice has a consequence. I hope you all choose to be kind. Kindness never hurts anyone and the consequences to kindness could be love and friendship. The consequence to darkness is more darkness.

Q–Dogs or cats?

A–Definitely dogs. I have one pitbull mix named Shaggy and he is my first baby.