Rye Country Day School student pilots Math Program with nonprofit

Building One Community - The Center for Immigrant Opportunity successfully piloted a Summer Math Program for elementary school students in August. The program was created and led by Charlotte Townley, a senior at Rye Country Day School, and assisted by Sandra Peterkin, a math teacher at Roxbury Elementary school.

The Summer Math Program brought together more than fifteen students from Roxbury, Newfield, Westover and Stark Elementary schools ranging from 1st to 5th grade.

When asked why Townley wanted to create an educational program for youth of immigrant families, the high school senior explained, “I wanted to create this math program to help develop and strengthen kids’ existing math skills, but also, more importantly, to get kids to have fun with math and think about the subject in a more creative way.”

Townley led the Summer Math Program for four weeks in August. The program is dual-generational, for both children and their parents who want to continue learning through enriching opportunities over summer break. It was formed to engage students in math, provide a positive, fun, and encouraging environment, and help immigrant students avoid the “summer slide,” as studies have proven that immigrant children fall behind academically during the summer months compared to their peers. Similarly, Building One Community’s Summer Reading Program is held throughout the month of July to encourage parents and children to practice their English by reading together.

For information on attending programs or volunteering at Building One Community, visit www.Building1Community.org.

About Building One Community
Building One Community is a nonprofit organization, established in 2011, that provides a comprehensive resource center for immigrants in the greater Stamford area. The mission of Building One Community is to bring passionate people together to help immigrants and their families succeed in the community. Learn more at www.Building1Community.org.