STEM

NYC High Schoolers Convert Math Work into Donations

• By Dian Schaffhauser
• 02/08/17

High school students in New York have figured out a creative way to help feed city residents in need. Students attending schools that are part of the city's "Renewal Schools" program can convert their work in solving math problems into points that are turned into donations.

The learners participated in NYC Gives, an annual municipal campaign to raise money for local charitable organizations. Numerous Renewal schools had students solve problems on Think Through Math (TTM), an online math program with a game-like environment that compels students to solve problems to earn points. Those points are converted to monetary donations by Imagine Learning, which produces TTM.

TTM offers adaptive assessments and lessons to help teachers differentiate the online instruction and testing that each student receives.

In total, the students raised $3,430 with their math-solving skills. Since mid-November, more than 4,000 high schoolers completed 27,800 math lessons, solved 972,000 math problems and spent more than 13,000 hours working on the math service.

Among the top-finishing schools are:

• Multicultural High School, where students generated 675, 000 points
• Fordham Leadership Academy for Business and Technology, which compiled 575,000 points; and
• Orchard Collegiate Academy, which produced 475,000 points.

The individual classes with the highest donation levels will receive special recognition and a party in their honor.

Think Through Math enables our teachers to target the needs of their students and helps students make their mathematical thinking visible," said Aimee Horowitz, an executive superintendent of the NYC Department of Education, in a prepared statement. "We are already seeing the impact of TTM through improved student achievement, while simultaneously helping our students realize the importance of becoming productive citizens who give to others."