MARYLAND'S Outstanding High School Mathematics Teacher for 2002 is lifelong Brooklyn Park resident Timothy Myers.

Myers is a four-year veteran at Baltimore's Western High School, where he teaches calculus I and II and advanced placement calculus. The teacher said that he remembers being interested in mathematics as a young child and continues to be fascinated by it.

"Mathematics for me is very beautiful; to see how all the pieces fit together. It's an art form and an opportunity for great creativity and discovery, and it's highly pragmatic at the same time," he said.

His interest in calculus "just sort of happened" one day as he was looking at a pinball machine.

"I was looking at the machine and the lights and how it all came together. I became hungry to study the patterns. I taught myself calculus in the summer between the ninth and 10th grade," he said.

He explained that calculus is the study of rates of change and of how things accumulate over time, and that it also deals with infinites -- processes that go on forever but have a definite value.

At Cardinal Gibbons High School, his mathematics teacher let Myers continue to work on his own.

"I was so interested that I also taught myself Algebra II. I'd do the work in the text and if I had a question, I would take it to him," he said.

Besides Cardinal Gibbons, Myers is a graduate of the St. John Christian Day School and Loyola College in Baltimore.

Because Myers teaches at a girls school, I had to ask the obvious question about girls and mathematics. Is there any truth to the claim that girls aren't very good at math?

"There is no truth to that whatsoever!" he said. "It's total nonsense!"

He said, however, that "in a co-ed environment, boys tend to be more assertive and tend to get more of the teacher's attention. Women just don't assert themselves as much in that situation. In an all-girls environment, that doesn't happen."

Western Principal Landa McLaurin submitted Myers' name to the Maryland Council of Teachers of Mathematics for nomination for the award. An observer was then sent to sit in on his AP calculus class.

I'm sure his enthusiasm for the subject was apparent in his teaching.

"Learning is always exciting. That's what teaching is all about. I like to ask the students a lot of questions and help them discover things for themselves. My lesson plans are always new," he said.

So moms, if you're worried that your children spend too much time watching and playing pinball, relax. They may just grow up to be award-winning mathematicians.

Community meeting set

Representatives from the Anne Arundel County Police Department will speak at this month's meeting of the Olde Brooklyn Park Improvement Association. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Brooklyn Park Elementary School, 14th Street and Morgan Road.

Community residents are needed to help decorate the street signs and judge the holiday house-decorating contest. Only the homes of members are eligible to participate in the contest, so be sure your dues are up to date before stringing up those lights.

Information: 410-636-3269 or 410-636-0352.