Nearly 20 years ago Christine Figueroa walked through the doors of Warrenton Elementary School for the first time, eager to begin her career as a student.

This school year, Figueroa returned to Warrenton Elementary, walking through the same doors, to begin her career as a teacher.

The Vicksburg High School alumna earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Mississippi State University, and returned home to Vicksburg where she now teaches third-grade math at the same elementary school she once attended as a student.

“Vicksburg is where I grew up, and it’s familiar to me,” she said. “Mr. Reed, the principal now, was my principal in high school. Being a first-year teacher, I knew I would have a lot of support here.”

Since Figueroa attended the school, some things have changed, and some things haven’t — Ida Allen, Figueroa’s second-grade reading teacher, is still teaching second-grade reading at the school.

Figueroa, whose parents immigrated to the United States when she was 2, said she wanted to be a teacher because she knew how much of an influence teachers could have on students.

“I like being around kids and being able to influence and guide them in the right direction,” she said. “Teaching was the best way I could do that.”

Figueroa said she knew she wanted to teach math because it’s her favorite subject.

“This is where they have to have multiplication and division facts memorized by the end of the year, and they’re introduced to fractions and word problems,” she said.

To switch things up and keep her students focused, Figueroa has implemented centers at each pod of four desks.

“There’s an activity at each table,” she said. “I give them about 30 minutes and they work with a group to complete the task.”

Figueroa said her mindset in the classroom is that all children have the ability to learn.

“Not all kids will learn by just reading,” she said. “Sometimes they need to get up, move, do hand gestures, play games, see pictures or hear a song. It’s our job to figure out what works best for them.”

Outside of school, Figueroa leads an active life, playing with her 6-year-old rescue lab mix Ripley, playing disc golf and tennis and running.