A sophomore and a senior sit in the quad during elective, flipping through a math book. One explains how to solve an equation while the other listens intently.

At first glance, it looks like a normal tutoring session but this time the roles are reversed.

Sophomore Barrie Feusi—already an AP Calculus student—is math teacher Patricia Jacobsen’s new teacher assistant (TA).

“I’m doing this because I love math and I love to teach it,” Feusi said.

His job requires tutoring students from freshmen to seniors to helping Jacobsen make homework assignments and answer sheets.

“During my free period I can finally grade tests because I have more time,” Jacobsen said.

So far, Feusi has tutored seniors Whitney Hillis and Pressia Lao.

“He’s very thorough with his explanations,” Lao said.

Lao also said Feusi works well with others.

“He doesn’t get frustrated with you and he’s very patient,” Lao said.

Hillis said that it doesn’t matter if a sophomore tutors a senior.

“If he’s gifted at math then it doesn’t matter,” Hillis said.

Feusi is available for tutoring during second period, lunch, and Elective II.

Feusi also gets community service hours for helping Jacobsen and tutoring students.

Feusi started taking an interest in math when he was 10, and his parents took notice of his skills shortly after.

“He was taking a high-level math course in seventh grade and he did very well,” Robert Feusi, Feusi’s father, said.

Feusi took Algebra II Honors last year, and he took Pre-Calculus over the summer.

He hopes to take three AP science courses next year and if possible, a college math class in his senior year.

Feusi hopes to attend the California Institute of Technology and maybe become a physics teacher.