Making math understandable adds up to an award for a Century High School math teacher.

Ryan Riehl is the 2007 Bismarck-Mandan Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Teacher of the Year for the secondary level.

"I don't know what to say," Riehl said. "I'm very humbled."

It is the 20th year the chamber has given this award. Teachers are nominated by people in the community, and a committee selects from the nominations.

"It's been quite a year for us at Century," Principal Mike Heilman said, referring to other teachers who have won state and national awards.

Riehl was nominated by a student who made a schedule change to be in his class. Other student letters said he helps them understand a difficult subject.

Riehl is the assistant basketball coach, adviser to rodeo club and has been a prom chaperone. He also is the math department chairman and helps the school district with the math curriculum.

He is a graduate of Flasher High School and Dickinson State University. He is married and has two daughters.

The award is the third award given by the chamber this year. It also gives an award to an elementary and a post-secondary teacher. The elementary teacher award went to Renae Ely at Northridge Elementary School, and the post-secondary award went to Karen Vietz, a nursing instructor at Medcenter One College of Nursing.

Riehl received a certificate, crystal apple and a gift basket of gift certificates to area businesses.

(Reach reporter Sara Kincaid at 250-8251 or sara.kincaid@;bismarcktribune.com.)