Andrea Harvey, 28; teacher had passion, drive

Outside Andrea Harvey's classroom at East Boston High School, students lined up to talk with the popular math teacher. Often it was outside of regular school hours -- an early-morning algebra lesson or an after-school review session.

Ms. Harvey used drawings and jokes to pull students into the complexities of mathematics, forming long-lasting bonds with them.

Known to most as Drea, she ''was willing to do anything to help her students," former student Alma Mendoza, 16, told the Globe last week. ''I actually failed first term but raised my grade up to an A second term."

On Feb. 24, Ms. Harvey's body was discovered by her parents in her Cambridge condominium. Her husband of 13 months, Damion Linton, has been charged with her murder. Ms. Harvey, a Cambridge native, was 28.

The windows of Ms. Harvey's classroom were covered with colorful stencils of her favorite cartoon character, Hello Kitty, an image that adorned a bracelet she often wore. In an online tribute, a friend from college described her as ''an exceptionally bright, loving, and creative person who was always a joy to be around."

While attending Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, Ms. Harvey was a standout viola player, touring with the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra. She continued playing with local artists, such as the Cambridge reggae band Chances, and at jazz sessions at area clubs.

Ms. Harvey earned a bachelor's degree in musical performance from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell and a master's degree in education from Simmons College. She was working on a master's degree in mathematics instruction at Harvard University's Extension School.

Ms. Harvey started working at East Boston High School about four years ago. Enjoying the challenge of communicating the intricacies of mathematics, Ms. Harvey often stayed late to work one-on-one with students struggling to solve equations and master formulas. It was often her patience and humor -- described by family members as ''quirky, silly, and profound" -- that helped students boost academic performance.

Fascinated by Japanese culture and language, she used grant money to better understand Japanese teaching methods. Ms. Harvey also headed the school's restructuring committee, as teachers and administrators grappled with questions about whether to divide the school into smaller learning communities.

''Andrea embraced her work with energy and passion," East Boston High's headmaster, Michael Rubin, said in a statement. ''She was not only interested in helping her students to succeed, but also in helping East Boston High School to succeed."

Ms. Harvey leaves her mother, Shirley (Reid), and father, Cedric, of Cambridge; two sisters, Julia, who is serving with the Army in Iraq, and Mia, of Cambridge; two brothers, Cedric Jr., also in the Army, and Andre, of Cambridge; and her grandparents, Florence and James Harvey and Maximena Reid, all of Jamaica.

Services have been held.