Utica Community Schools students put their minds to math

Dozens of Utica Community Schools fourth, fifth and sixth graders had fun and met new friends while exercising their mental math skills at the district’s annual 24 Math game challenge.

Oakbrook Elementary School hosted the event that matched students from 22 participating UCS elementary schools in the popular educational game. The object is to add, subtract, multiply or divide four random single-digit numbers to total 24 without using paper and pencil or calculators. Each number can be used only once. Game cards vary in difficulty. Here’s an ‘easy’ one:

4 x 3 = 12
12 x 2 = 24
24 ÷ 1 = 24

Students rotate through teams of four, playing against students from other schools. Rounds are timed – only 30 seconds per card – adding to the challenge. Judges keep score until the top players at each grade level emerge.

The 24 Math challenge is a national program designed to improve student achievement in math and related subjects in an exciting tournament format. The competition sharpens students’ skills in computation, problem solving, number sense, critical thinking and pattern sensing.

Students qualify for the district tournament by advancing through playoffs as part of the Academically Talented and Gifted (ATG) program at their home schools.

Parent Tom Huard – who was at Oakbrook to cheer on his son Kaleb, a Crissman Elementary School fifth grader – called the program “a great exercise to build reasoning skills and help kids use math in everyday thought.”

Harvey Elementary School fifth grader Angelique Korkis thinks the math competition is “fun and gives me a good chance to learn fluency in math.” Being able to think under pressure is important to Angelique, who is interested in computer programming.

Sixth grader Olivia Beckman of Plumbrook Elementary School was a bit sad that this is her last year competing in 24 Math. “I love math and science and this is a fun challenge for me,” she said.

Oakbrook principal and district ATG sponsor Dr. Linda Schneider-Rediske added, “The 24 Math tournament is a unique opportunity for students to have fun and practice problem solving skills at the same time. We try to create an environment in which winning is not the focus but instead provide one in which a spirit of positive competiveness is experienced. We want the students to be relaxed so they can do their best and walk away with the memory of an enjoyable evening.”

Schneider-Rediske teamed with district elementary mathematics department chairperson Nick Kostrzeba to coordinate and run the exciting evening event where more than 100 students and their families took part.

Congratulations to the top scores in this year’s tournament –
Grade 4:
· Zack Florence – Havel Elementary
· Chelsea Kehoe – Switzer Elementary
· Peyton Ng – Oakbrook Elementary
Grade 5:
· Ravleen Gill – Burr Elementary
· Angelique Korkis – Harvey Elementary
· Thy Hoang – Burr Elementary
Grade 6:
· Maria Beninati – Harvey Elementary
· Dalton Crum – Morgan Elementary
· Will Jenkins – Messmore Elementary
· William Wylie – Monfort Elementary