Names in the News: Andrew Pollick of Woodland Hills High School

Andrew Pollick, 31, of North Hills is a math teacher at who also has coordinated fundraising efforts for the Make a Wish Foundation. He’s been teaching there for six years. Pollick attended Deer Lakes High School and attended West Virginia University, where he earned a degree in mathematics and a master’s in education.

Why did you want to become a teacher?

I grew up in the hills of West Virginia and started as a camp counselor and teaching kids at a younger age around 16 and 17. We’d teach them how to camp in the woods and make a fire, and I realized I had a good calling with kids. It stuck with me in college. I really like math and that stuck with me as well—it’s just sort of a perfect fit.

What did you do for the Make a Wish Mustache Fundraiser?

The first time we did it was in 2009. My brother and I wanted to grow mustaches to be silly and we ended up getting a bunch of our friends to do it to raise money, and we raised $4,000 for Make a Wish. We took a break in 2010 and this year with the school, a bunch of teachers grew mustaches and helped out and we ended up raising $1,700. We had an extravaganza at the end of the month with guys in costume and bands. This was really nice because the kids had a chance to contribute. We basically made up the rules—you could donate to the teacher with the best mustache. Whoever raised the most money could shave their mustache first but the others had to keep it for a week.

It was pretty special because most of the kids are on free or reduced lunch and kids were donating money hand over fist during lunch time. That was the nicest thing. It was sort of overwhelming—the fact that kids would give fifty cents when they really need it.

What’s your favorite aspect of being a teacher here?

I like the kids. Everybody has a different personality and everybody sticks to their guns. They already know who they are in seventh, eighth and ninth grades. They know to stand up for the little guy and watch out for their buddies and really show a lot of signs of maturity. They’re giving and generous.