A Mathematician in the Making: Spotlight on Hannah-Nikyta Youngblom

Math seems to be the one subject that people either love or dislike. Many of us have heard the common refrain, “I’m so bad at math!” Even Laurel Springs 9th grader Hannah-Nikyta agrees. “While for some people doing math might seem like a chore, it is one of my favorite activities.” From a very young age, she enjoyed manipulating numbers, and most importantly, figuring out the answers. She says, “To me, there’s no feeling that can compare to the satisfaction I get when solving a difficult problem.” Through Laurel Springs, she continues to grow her abilities in this area, while also pursuing other activities—all thanks to the flexible schedule, high-quality instructors, and wide-ranging curriculum offered by our school.

When looking for an online school, Hannah said she and her mother wanted one that “had an outstanding curriculum, teachers with advanced degrees, and a plethora of courses to choose from.” After speaking with our amazing counselors, they were assured that Laurel Springs met all of their criteria. It’s been lots of hard work—and even some fun—from day one. Hannah-Nikyta says, “My teachers are extremely caring and put a lot of effort into grading and leaving feedback on my assignments.” And, she says, the social scene is fun, too! She loves the clubs and social opportunities, including Year-End Celebrations, virtual and in-person field trips, and iClasses. She also says that the ability to take AP classes and participate in pilot programs are more expansive than anything offered by brick-and-mortar schools.

Although she’s only in ninth grade, Hannah-Nikyta has big plans for the future, and she credits math with helping her being prepared to achieve them. She says, “Doing math gives me great logical and problem-solving skills, which I can use in other areas of my life.” While not working on her studies, Hannah-Nikyta dances, plays the piano, writes, and even reads about one of her favorite subjects: espionage. And she is already anticipating attending either the University of Oxford in England or Pomona College in California. The criteria for her school of choice? A strong math program and a language/study abroad opportunity. With a talent for a subject that doesn’t come easy to most and a strong drive for success, we believe Hannah-Nikyta will achieve her dreams and much more.