Quinn Driver spent a lot of time at school growing up. As a multi-sport athlete and top student, practices and extracurricular activities made her San Diego high school a second home. Unsurprisingly, her dream career as a little girl was to be a teacher. A dream that she would eventually fulfill.   

While at college at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, Quinn was majoring in applied mathematics when she suddenly was overcome with one question, "Why?" "I was feeling lost. Yes, I loved math and was good at it, but I couldn't picture pursuing a career in it because a key part of what I’m passionate about was missing,” explained Quinn. She called her father, who pressed her to find the common thread in all her extracurricular activities and discovered she was most passionate about serving others, especially children. Shortly after, she signed up on the spot to apply to Teach For America at an on-campus recruitment event.  

Becoming a teacher was always on Quinn's life to-do list. Starting her teaching career during a pandemic was not. As the pandemic's effects on students began to surface and longtime educators left the classroom in droves, Quinn knew the road ahead would not be easy, but she also knew it was where she was most needed. She started teaching virtually in 2020 before moving to in-person later in the school year. The transition was a "rude awakening," but by her second year in the classroom, Quinn found her footing teaching math and science, partnering with veteran educators to tailor lesson plans and create adaptive learning opportunities. "Something I learned right way was to lean on other teachers for support," tells Quinn, "You can't do it alone with teaching, especially teaching math. You must be open to collaboration and working with others to make sure students have what they need to learn."  

As a math teacher at an all-girls school focused on academics and athletics, Quinn found the most significant hurdles to learning were ones put in place by others. "Majority of my students were told they weren't good at math," she shared. "I worked with them to undo that mindset." Quinn explained to her students that much of "being good" at math is simply practicing it. Whenever possible, she created fun and engaging ways to "practice," including class-wide team competitions where the winners received fleeting glory and a snack. "It's music to my ears to hear one of them say, 'This is easy!' tells Quinn. "I love to watch them grow in their confidence."   

During the 2024-2025 school year, Quinn is looking to help a new set of students make academic and personal leaps, but this time, she'll be doing so in Malawi as a Fulbright Scholar. She chose the Malawi program because it is one of the regions offering a co-teaching model where Quinn will work in partnership with a local teacher.  "The nickname for Malawi is the Warm Heart of Africa," she says, "I'm so excited and feel so fortunate to have this experience working with students worldwide."