(bright upbeat music) - Good morning, my magnificent mathematicians.

I am so excited to be with you this morning.

I have Hayden, Hallie and Harper here with me today.

And we have a question for you.

What do you think a mathematician looks like?

I think a lot of us think that mathematicians look a certain way or that they're a certain kind of person.

Have you ever heard someone say, "I'm just not a math person."?

Ugh, my math teacher ears cringe when I hear that because I think each of you is a mathematician.

Are you surprised?

You shouldn't be.

A mathematician is just a problem solver.

And I know that you can solve problems.

Well, today we are going to learn about one of my favorite mathematicians.

She is so incredible that they even made a movie about her.

Her name is Katherine Johnson.

Katherine started high school when she was 10 years old.

That's right.

Some of you watching might be 10 and you're probably going into the fifth grade, right?

Well, then Katherine started college when she was 15 and she was finished, and at 18 became a teacher.

Later, she went to work for NASA as a computer.

Yeah, that's right.

They literally called her a computer.

NASA is one of the coolest places ever.

NASA is in charge of sending people and rockets to space.

And guess what?

I got to go to space camp with all the teachers of the year from all over the United States.

We learned about rockets and we even got to see some up close and personal.

These rockets were enormous and it is awesome to think that they can get enough power to send that huge, heavy thing up into outer space.

We also got to sit in the multi-axis trainer.

That thing was crazy.

We strapped in and spun around to see what it feels like when astronauts in a shuttle go into a tumble spin.

And did you know that when you're on the moon, it only has 17% of the gravitational pull that we feel here on earth?

That's not very much at all pulling you down to the surface.

We learned what it feels like to walk on the moon.

And the best part of space camp at NASA was getting to compete on teams to solve problems and complete missions.

I cannot imagine getting to work at NASA.

But Katherine Johnson did, and she made a big impact.

She was one of the first women to be included in important meetings that only men had been invited to before.

And she was a huge part of sending an astronaut to the moon.

She used all the geometry she had learned to make sure the astronauts could go to the moon and come back home safely.

And I still can't believe that her job at NASA was to be a computer.

So, the next time that you think about what a computer looks like, I want you to picture Katherine Johnson.

And the next time you think about what you want to be when you grow up, consider working at NASA.

I've read about lots of other mathematicians who have solved big problems and accomplished great things.

Some of them became famous, but others didn't.

They haven't become famous for solving a problem yet.

But my number one best of the best favorite mathematician is a mystery.

And today, I'm going to let you in on a secret.

If you look in this box, you will see who it is.

Hayden, you want to know who it is?

Okay, y'all can't look.

Don't let your sisters see.

(laughs) Hallie, do you want to see who my favorite mathematician is?

- Yes.

Don't look.

- Okay.

- (gasps) That makes sense.

- Harper?

Here's my favorite mathematician.

Look in the box.

(laughs) Okay, everyone.

Are you ready to see who my favorite mathematician is?

Remember when we started today and I asked you what a mathematician looks like?

Well, if you want to know, you need to look in this box because it's... You.

♪ It's time to rise and shine.

♪