Most kindergartners do not know what they want to do when they grow up, but Laura O’Neil did. She knew she wanted to be a teacher.

Since that childhood dream, O’Neil has taught at Lawrence High for seven years, Free State for five and the Juvenile Detention Center for one.

O’Neil had originally wanted to teach special needs students which required a major in a specific subject. She decided on math and the rest is history.

O’Neil’s teaching doesn’t involve sitting behind a desk all  day though. She is also one of the sponsors for Link Crew.

“Its a great opportunity to make students feel like they fit in and show that  others share their interests,” O’Neil said.

O’Neil has also won the Teacher of the Year award twice. She earned one at Lawrence High and one at Free State.

“I was shocked and I felt great knowing that my students enjoy my teaching,” O’Neil said.

Math can be an influential subject, that is why O’Neil has a tattoo of the Fibonacci sequence on her leg. This also happens to be her favorite material to teach.

Everyone experiences or deals with math in their lifetime. O’Neil’s students do not have to worry as much considering they learned it from one of the best.