Mrs. Karen Doris Johnson Downing is a retired third grade teacher who went back to teaching as a half time GT (gifted and talented) teacher at Elm Street School. She now lives in Otisfield, Maine. At age fifty-six, she has a son and a daughter and two grandkids, Abby and Jacob.

Mrs. Downing is a very interesting woman. People say she is outgoing and ambitious. That is why she is heading up the math league because math is the subject she found most difficult. She’d rather be head of the science league because it is her favorite subject.

Mrs. Downing has many favorite things. Her favorite food is lobster. Her favorite movies are Chicago and Cold Mountain (at this moment!). Her favorite color is blue, and her favorite part about teaching is the kids!

Her childhood memories include going to the ocean, which happens to be her favorite one of all. Finally, when asked about why she became a teacher in the first place, she replied, “I’m crazy about kids!”