Meet Gabriel Ibarra (he/him), a senior at Jordan High School. We recently connected to learn about his experiences at Jordan, his passion for math, and how supportive teachers have helped him achieve at the highest levels.

Since elementary school, Gabriel has stood out for his curiosity in math. That dedication was evident last year when he reached Level 4 on his 11th-grade math state assessment, the highest performance level, meaning he exceeded the standard. “I was bragging a little,” he said with a smile. “I told my friends right away. They already knew math was my strongest subject.”

Gabriel credits much of his success to his teachers, especially his math teacher last year, Javier Arechiga. “He’s super calm and explains everything thoroughly,” Gabriel said. “He doesn’t just hand out worksheets. He makes sure you really understand what you’re learning.” Noticing Gabriel’s interest, Mr. Arechiga even shared extra materials, including some from more advanced classes.

Gabriel recalled a tough moment in 10th grade when he felt disconnected, but a math teacher helped him stay focused by building a genuine relationship. “He connected with me as a person,” Gabriel reflected.

Gabriel says what helps students at Jordan the most is the way teachers treat them. “They care for real,” he said. “They’re engaged and treat you like a person. Learning feels more like a partnership.”

This year, Gabriel is taking Advanced Placement (AP) Statistics, his first AP course, and finds it both challenging and fun. He is also on the school’s baseball team. He explained, “The class is way more logical than I expected.” He enjoys thinking about why formulas work instead of just following steps, and he especially likes probability because it connects to baseball stats. Questioning math in this way makes learning more meaningful for him.

Looking ahead, Gabriel hopes to continue doing math in college and study aerospace engineering. He has always been curious about how planes, rockets, and other systems work and loves the math behind them. He once dreamed of becoming an astronaut, but now he is more interested in designing aircraft and rockets.

For his senior year, Gabriel’s goals are to stay focused, do well in all his classes, and pass his AP exam. “A lot of seniors slow down at the end,” he said, but he’s determined not to.