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Academy makes algebra fun for 8th graders

Fifty-three students from Rolling Hills Middle School in Watsonville voluntarily spent their last week of winter break studying algebra – and having fun.

The Algebra Academy was held at the headquarters of Graniterock in Watsonville from Jan. 3 through 6. On Friday of that week, the youngsters spent the day on the campus of California State University, Monterey Bay, then returned to Graniterock for a graduation ceremony on Saturday, where they received certificates.

CSUMB math professors Hongde Hu and Lorraine O’Shea, assisted by four university students, taught the classes.

Dr. Hu said he designed the program to get students up to speed with standards recently adopted by the California Department of Education that mandate preparation in algebra.

“The academy is also intended to build a strong math foundation through hands-on activities with algebra applications in the real world,” he added.

Among the problems they worked on: figuring out the odds of winning the state lottery and determining why California license plates need three letters.

At CSUMB on Friday, the middle school students spent time in a math classroom where they played a game called “Survivor: Math Camp” that called on the skills they learned earlier in the week. One of the problems – 10-5 (2-3) = ? – stumped all but three of them. The answer: -5.

They also got a tour of campus, had lunch in the dining hall and learned what they have to do to prepare for college. Their campus visit clearly made an impression. When asked what they liked most about the academy, a majority of them said the time they spent on campus. Some of them indicated that the experience made them want to attend college, especially CSUMB.

Rollling Hills principal Rick Ito appreciated the opportunity for his students to participate in the program.

“I think the important thing is that students have seen math in a different way. They have seen how math can affect very aspect of their lives,” he said. “It’s not just in a classroom. It’s all around us.”

Ito also complimented the work of the four CSUMB students.

“The teaching assistants have really made a connection with the students. They’re a bridge between the professors and the youngsters.

“The CSUMB students have done a great job.”

Graniterock CEO Bruce Woolpert and assistant general counsel Kevin Jeffery spearheaded the academy. The company has worked with Rolling Hills for four years, sending tutors from the company to help with English, art, math and science as well as hosting events such as awards ceremonies for students who get good grades.

The students worked with tablet PCs provided by HP as part of a grant it recently awarded the university. CSUMB’s “Leapfrogging Mathematics in the Early Start Program” was one of only 10 applications that earned an EdTech Innovators Award from HP and the New Media Consortium. The award recognizes pioneers in education who are using technology in groundbreaking ways.

According to HP, “Leapfrogging Math” stood out because it’s a proven example of an educational project that uses technology in novel ways inside and outside the classroom.

The program’s goals are to reduce the percentage of college freshmen who need remedial math from 60 to under 40 percent; to help high school teachers invigorate their courses and collaborate with college professors on curriculum; and to document the work so that it can be used on campuses across the country.

Working with HP, the university has created a remedial math program that serves about 500 of its own freshmen each year. More than 92 percent of students are passing the two-semester course, compared to the national rate of just under 50 percent.