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Amy Hall wants kids to realize math is not a daunting task.
The teacher with a decade of experience started out teaching high school, but decided she wanted to reach a younger age group.
"One of the main reasons that I decided to come to the junior high is there's usually a disconnect or a turnoff in junior high," Hall said. "By the time the students get to high school, they would really love or hate math."
She wanted students to learn earlier that math is not impossible.
"I want to be able to take something that they picture as complex and make it simple," she said. "I have this belief that math doesn't have to be hard."
Her method is to be approachable so the students would always feel comfortable asking questions and seeking help.
She remembered having a student who was convinced he could not do math. With a lot of hard work and encouragement, he succeeded and felt differently about himself.
"There's always that moment where a struggling student all of a sudden gets it," she said. "That makes it all worthwhile."
Her dedication and enthusiasm caught the attention of her fellow teacher Bruce Eschler, who nominated her for the Huntsman Award for Excellence in Education.
In April, Hall was surprised at school by a visit from Karen Huntsman and the $10,000 prize.
"It was a complete surprise to me," Hall said. "I was shocked and dumbfounded."
In addition to Huntsman, a group of familiar faces showed up to surprise Hall during her first-period class.
"There were my husband and kids, brothers and sisters, nieces and nephew," she said. "It was pretty amazing because I'd just dropped my kids off at school."
Hall was one of 11 educators selected, and she received $10,000 as part of the award. She was honored with other recipients at a banquet at the Little America Hotel.
She said she's grateful to Eschler for nominating her.
"I know the process takes quite a bit of time and to actually win it, that did not cross my mind," Hall said. "I think it's humbling because there are so many amazing teachers."
She said her greatest challenge as a teacher is discipline and respect issues, which are more difficult now than when she began teaching.
"When I have issues, I usually first try humor to defuse it," she said. "I tend to be pretty patient; I'm not a yeller."
In her surprise visit to Hall's class, Huntsman talked about the importance of recognizing teachers who put in the effort and the care to make a difference in the world of education. She also talked about some teachers who made an impact on her.
Hall said she had several teachers who genuinely cared for her.
"Over the years, I've always had a teacher that was phenomenal," she said. "They motivated me and I saw how much they helped me."
She said she wanted to do that in return and help students have the inner belief that they can succeed. Plus, being a teacher grants her the continual opportunity learn.
"I've always enjoyed learning, and what better way than to be at school?" she said.
She said she enjoys interacting with her students because of their energy and enthusiasm, and her motivation is to see them succeed.
"It's rewarding when a student comes back and says thank you," Hall said.
Her hobbies include reading, gardening and attending sporting events, "especially for my kids." She is an alumnus of the University of Utah and roots for the school's athletic teams.
Said Huante, one of Hall's students, said his teacher practices a lot of patience and doesn't overlook anyone.
"If all of us understand a subject except one of us, she would take the whole day to explain," Huante said.
Another student, Colton Harris, said Hall is a focused teacher.
"She helps us understand what we need to know," Harris said. "If we have questions, she'll answer them with details to make sure we know what we're doing."