A Spanish teacher from Hayward, California...

Leslie Frates

In the months before her 1991 Jeopardy! appearance, Leslie complained that her memory was becoming poor. Five wins later, she decided that maybe it wasn't so bad after all. A Spanish instructor for the past 25 years, she graduated summa cum laude from CSU Hayward, and received her master's at UC Berkeley. Outgoing, bubbly, fast and intense, this Hayward, California resident isn't content to rely solely on advice from several past Jeopardy! champs whom she's met on the internet. She also has "several friends who have promised to light candles for me."

Hola, me llamo Leslie Frates, soy campeona de cinco veces en el programa de television de Jeopardy!. Ahora, estoy participando en el torneo de Million Dollar Masters. Pero este momento, me estas mirando en jeopardy.com.

What is your present occupation?
My present occupation--I'm a Spanish teacher at Cal State Hayward.

What do you remember most from your previous appearances on Jeopardy!?
The excitement, the other people who were wonderful, the accolades, the--just, it was just such an honor to be there, first of all. Just an honor, and it was a lifetime dream, and the money was great, but I would have done it for peanut butter and crackers.

Do you want to say hello to anyone?
I'd like to say hi to my grandmother, her name is Pauline Kernes, and I forgot to mention her name last time I was on Jeopardy! So, hey, grandma Pauline.

How has being on Jeopardy! changed your life?
Being on Jeopardy! has changed my life in so many ways, it has opened doors for me that I never knew existed. I have the respect and honor of my students and my peers at work. I'm recognized at the grocery store. People want to know all about it. It's an honor. It's just a wonderful thing. And it's such a classy operation, and I like to think that some of the class has rubbed off on me at the same time.

"A Jeopardy! champion in 1991, she's now a Spanish teacher listed in Who's Who Among American Teachers? From Hayward, California..."

2014 Battle of the Decades invitee: $5,000.
2005 Ultimate Tournament of Champions Round 1 player: $5,000.
2002 Million Dollar Masters tournament wildcard semifinalist: $25,000.
1998 Battle of the Bay Area Brains player: $10,000 for Bay Area American Red Cross Community Education.
1993 10th Anniversary Tournament 2nd runner-up: $7,500.
1991 Tournament of Champions semifinalist: $5,000.
Season 7 5-time champion: $56,099.

Last name pronounced like "FRATE-iss".