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New York Teacher Still Doing the Math at 100

She was born while Europe was fighting World War I, but age is just a number to one New York math teacher, still going strong and celebrating her 100th birthday.

Madeline Scotto, who turned 100 on Thursday, works almost every day as a math coach at the Catholic school in Brooklyn where she was in the graduating class of 1928.

She was off Friday celebrating her birthday, but would be back at work on Monday morning, said a representative at St Ephrem School.

The sprightly Scotto, looking elegant in a lavender sweater and necklace, told the DNAinfo website she couldn't believe how the years had raced by.

"I think it just happens, you know," she said.

"Last year I thought, 'this can't be, that I'm going to be 100.' I sat down and did the math actually!"

St Ephrem's congratulated Scotto on its Facebook page.

"Many students through the generations have been influenced by this amazing woman," it wrote.

Her pupils span generations in the same family.

"She taught my mom, brothers and me. Spanning nearly 75 years. Amazing women. She rocked! I remember her teaching fractions in 3rd grade," said James Stawniczy on Facebook.

Lisa Marrapodi Cistulli said her whole family had been taught by Scotto.

"She was so helpful and kind to my parents who were Italian immigrants. Happy 100th Mrs SCOTTO!!!" she wrote.

Former pupil Tina Fevola Nash said Scotto taught her children.

"I had Mrs Scotto in the 3rd grade and I love math to this day because of her. So glad my kids were able to learn from her since she preps them for math bee for the last seven years," she said.

Source: Agence France Presse


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