A Bermudian survivor of the 9-11 terrorist attacks in New York, is giving back to the Bermuda community by writing a series of books to help young people understand basic math concepts.

Kristi Foggo is currently a math teacher in the Bermuda primary school system. On September 11, she was working on the American Stock Exchange (AMEX), located next door to the World Trade Centre towers. After the planes hit the towers, debris began raining down on the street below. Entrances to her building quickly became blocked by falling masonry, but she and others managed to escape. Sadly, her mentor, Rudy Bacchus, was having breakfast in the Window on the World restaurant at the top of the North Tower, and perished.

Mr Bacchus was a Deacon in his church, and was involved in a scholarship programme to help young people go to university. Influenced by his memory, Ms Foggo continued to work at AMEX for another two years while she obtained an honours degree in teaching from St Peter’s College in New Jersey, and a Master’s degree in Education.

“I thought that might be something I could do,” she said. “I thought it was a way to give back. I couldn’t get closure while I stayed out there. My mother suggested I come back and teach. That is how I got into the education system here.”

She is about to release Brandon Learns Long Division, the first in a series of books designed to clarify basic math concepts.

“I wanted to combine my love of math and my love of language arts,” she said.

The book not only details how to do long division, but also includes a story about a boy called Brandon and his classmates.

“This book is geared to the primary level, but older students who struggle in these topics can also utilise it,” Ms Foggo said. “Parents can also use it to help them tackle certain math topics with their children. It breaks the topic down and shows you, step by step, how to do long division. The answers are in the back of the book.”

She hopes to soon follow the book with others on fractions, and prime numbers, among other areas.

“I started this four years ago,” she said. “I have been sitting on it for awhile. I have been taking my time with it. It is completed. It was printed here in Bermuda. The pictures included in it are done by students. It is very child friendly.”

She said sometimes she does miss the high energy world of Wall Street.

“I was working on the AMEX trading floor,” she said. “We were doing lots of number building, so I have a very aggressive background in mathematics. I loved the rigour, focus, and the high order thinking, but you also need this type of thinking in the classroom. For me, the transition to teaching was easy.”

She said the whole idea behind the books was to help young people with their learning.

“I am just looking at being able to take my talent and expand it,” she said. “I am hoping to put it in the stores here in Bermuda.”