Porter Elementary’s Star Math Club Students Rewarded with

TO A FATHER, GRANDFATHER, STEP-FATHER, FATHER-IN-LAW, OR FATHER TO BE AND ANY WHO?

This is your day! So happy Father’s Day and enjoy your day.

What a blessing to be a father, dad, pops, old man, and those expressions that come from a son or daughter are great to hear.

All my father’s body parts, including made the dream work.

With the guidance of third grade teacher Mrs. Krammer, who stands as the administrator of the Porter mathematics group, and the support of other faculty members Ms. Neinaber (fifth grade teacher) and Mrs. Ballard (fourth grade teacher), the student-generated math club was created.

Many children were motivated to join the club in its early days. As the school year progressed, though, more and more children eventually stopped participating. The faithful few who stayed with the club were adorned with maththemed medals and certificates of participation, honoring their commitment to furthering their education even after their school let out.

Beyond building their math skills, the club provides a fun place to make friends outside of their classrooms.

“If nothing else this is a social environment, and these kids felt so comfortable with one another,” said Ms. Krammer. “They were [all a part of] different classes and grade levels, but they [were able to build] a rela tionship with one another.”

The children, after receiving their medals and certif icates, played one of their favorite math games, 24 Game (dubbed “Math 24” amongst the group), where the name of the game is to use any mathematical oper ation to get four preselected numbers to the sum of 24 (hence the name 24 Game ).

The club will continue next year, with plans to recruit more children throughout the school in various grades on the school’s north campus which houses third through fifth graders.

BMWU member Lisa Evans contribut ed to this story.