Name: Stephen Mercier

School: Tanner High School

Grade(s) taught: 9th ,10th

Subject(s) taught: Geometry, Algebra 1

Post secondary education: Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education from the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the University of Alabama in Huntsville

How many years have you been teaching? 2

How many of those are with Limestone County Schools? 2

What led you to choose your career path in education? When I was younger, I was a member of the Boy Scouts of America and eventually earned its highest award, the Eagle Scout Award. Along my journey I not only learned many useful skills, but also was responsible for passing those skills on to the younger generation of scouts. I’ll never forget my experiences teaching those younger boys and the looks in their eyes as they transitioned from a look of frustration and defeat to one of accomplishment and pride. Additionally, I have always had a passion for all aspects of Mathematics. So, it was only natural that I would want to work in a field where I could merge both my love for teaching and Mathematics together.

Educators have faced a lot of adversity lately. What is one way you have grown professionally? Professional communication. While we all want our students to succeed, it’s important that we communicate efficiently so that all of our efforts can work in tandem instead of divergently. Especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemics, I have grown to discover and increase my effectiveness in a myriad of communication methods with my students, their parents, and my coworkers which I believe has made me into a more effective educator.

What do you enjoy most about working for Limestone County Schools? I love the culture of Limestone County. There is a strong sense of inclusion and respect from the students all the way to the administration. It feels more like a family that a job, and that is something very special indeed.

What is one thing you have accomplished that you are most proud of? Before I got into teaching, I made part of my income competing in a strategy-based game. I reached high levels of success, setting many new records for Alabama players, and was very well known within that community. I also took many younger players under my wing and taught them what I could regarding both fundamentals and strategy. My senior year of college, I was informed that one of my students in that game had won the US national event and would be competing overseas as our American representative. Hearing about his success, and hearing him talk in interviews about the impact I had on his competitive career filled me with so much pride and I definitely feel that it was one of the accomplishments that I am most proud of.

Favorite book? The Thran by J. Robert King

Favorite hobby outside of teaching? Once a week, I meet up with my four other bothers online for some sort of game night. We will often play each other in rounds of Jeopardy or some form of online board game. I also love strategy games.

What piece of advice do you always give your students? Math is not something to be feared. But rather, it is a tool designed to assist and empower its user. Like any tool, it takes time to learn how and when to use it, and this can be challenging sometimes. However, just like any tool, once you have learned how to use it, it will for 100 percent of the time, every time. and the only limitations are our own creativity and imagination.