As the school year comes to an end, Westridge prepares to say goodbye to Mx. Brownsmith, who is moving with their two children to rebuild after the Altadena fires and be closer to family. Having first been drawn to Westridge by the idea of diversifying the STEM field, they became a middle school math teacher in hopes of closing the gender gap in STEM. Mx. Brownsmith is known for their passion for math and a bright energy that’s hard to miss.

Throughout their six years of teaching at Westridge, Mx. Brownsmith has created many great memories and bonds with both students and fellow teachers. One of their favorites included their past birthday celebration, with the 6th graders surprising them with lots of balloons, compliments, and sparkles in the classroom. Some of their favorite lessons included working on escape rooms, like West-Atlantridge, an Atlantis-themed escape room. They came to school in a lifejacket, revealing their creativity and fun acting skills to perform the “ship” sinking. 

Recently, the 6th graders also completed their Eco-home projects, which utilized their knowledge in math, art, science, history, and Spanish. Colleague Dr. Linda Peacore, 6th Grade History Teacher, helped coordinate the project with Mx. Brownsmith. “[They have] such a great energy and are so supportive of other teachers. They’re just a great person to collaborate with,” she said. It is clear that as much as the community has impacted Mx. Brownsmith, they have given back to the community with just as much positivity and inspiration. 

Many of Mx. Brownsmith’s goals involved bringing joy into the classroom, specifically finding creative ways to get students “thinking deeply about math shrouded in joy.”

According to Amberly K. ’31, they have certainly accomplished that goal. “I really like their humor and how fun they are. School [can be] boring sometimes, especially math,” said Amberly. “A lot of people don’t like it, so [Mx. Brownsmith] makes math really fun.”

Their innovative and engaging methods have inspired faculty to think about math in new ways. “Mx. Brownsmith is the best!” said Librarian Mx. Stevie Bolton. “I think for a lot of us, it can be really easy just to get stuck in the way we do things, and Mx. Brownsmith is always so thoughtful about, well, ‘Why are we doing it like this?’ and ‘Is this what’s best for the students?’” 

As they move up to Portland, Oregon, with their two children, the California weather and “collaborativeness” of Westridge students and faculty will be missed. “I hope [the students will] remember some of the random things I say over the years, like, never erase your genius, that math can be fun, and they can do great and impossible things,” said Mx. Brownsmith.