LBMS Math Students Raise $10G for St. Jude Children's Hospital

Mathematical accomplishments are adding up at Long Beach Middle School.

A group of sixth- and seventh-grade MATHCOUNTS participants recently took part in a competition at Hofstra University, and sixth-grade students raised more than $10,000 in the St. Jude Math-A-Thon fundraiser.

The MATHCOUNTS Competition presented complex problem-solving questions that exposed students to math concepts and strategies beyond their grade levels. Under the leadership of teacher Candice Wittmer, students Maya Arengo, Uma Arengo, Mollie Borenstein, Meilin Garfinkel, Arjun Gupta, Hayden Henry, James Joyce, Madeline O’Connor, Erik Roll and Nicholas Wiesendanger placed eighth out of 14 schools in Nassau County. The middle school’s MATHCOUNTS course, which meets every other day, prepared them for this local competition.

The St. Jude Math-A-Thon is a school-based fundraiser that benefits St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Participants completed numerous math problems at their grade levels and raised monetary support to aid in the treatment of children battling cancer and other diseases. Students raised a total of $10,074.20 while strengthening their mathematics skills through this initiative that combined education and philanthropy.

In February, the school kicked off the Math-A-Thon with an assembly for all sixth-graders. Teachers and administrators discussed the importance of the cause and garnered enthusiasm from students who were eager to make a difference.

“I care for the kids at St. Jude’s,” stated sixth-grader Cameron Conte. “I want them to be well and go back home to be with their families.” Student Andie Zion expressed similar sentiments, stating, “When you give to other people it makes you feel important.”

Both of these endeavors supported the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program’s emphasis on complex thinking that supports mathematical thinking as it relates to the real world. By utilizing advanced problem-solving methods and completing math challenges for meaningful purposes, the students gained a greater understanding of the broader roles they can play in the world by being responsible learners and caring individuals.

Submitted by Long Beach Schools