On March 13, statistics teacher Mr. Bob Lochel won the Teaching Excellence Award from the ASA (American Statistical Association). As one of Mr. Lochel’s statistics students, I wanted to ask him some questions regarding the award.

Q: Were you surprised when you achieved the award?

A: I know that there are many successful statistics teachers in the area. We are a very familiar group, and I’m honored to be selected among them for this award.

Q: What was the criteria for achieving this award?

A: It acknowledges what I do in the classroom, but also acknowledges what I’ve done beyond Hatboro-Horsham. For example, I’m a stat reader, meaning I help to grade AP Statistics exams each year. I’ve also had the opportunity to collaborate with entities such as Stats Medic and the College Board to create experiences for students to learn statistics.

Q: Why do you think statistics is important?

A: When I started here in 1996, there were no statistics courses. First, I wrote the Prob/Stat course, and in 2004 I brought AP Stat here. AP Stat started as basically a club, in which only few students would choose to take it, but now, it’s one of the most popular Advanced Placement classes. I’m happy that so many students are taking advantage of the opportunity to learn an important topic.

Q: Why should students consider taking AP Statistics?

A: Statistics is applicable to just about any major in college, and it opens the doors to understanding the world through an analytical lens. The idea of data science is high in demand and is a very useful skill to have.