MAY 14, 2009 ISSUE
I Can Do This!
12th Annual ASU Math Camp Empowers Local Youth July 13 to 16
Developed for rising 6th through 12th graders, Math Camp is for kids who love math, hate math, fear math and don’t care about math. The 12th annual camp takes place at ASU from Monday to Thursday, July 13 to 16. Photo submitted
The word math is often thought of as a negative four-letter word. At ASU this summer, though, math is the centerpiece of a fun-filled, time-tested and all-inclusive academic and interpersonal experience known as Math Camp.
Back for its 12th year, Math Camp takes place from Monday to Thursday, July 13 to 16, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. each day on the third floor of ASU’s Walker Hall and is sponsored by the ASU Department of Mathematical Sciences and the ASU Math and Science Education Center.
Developed for rising 6th through 12th graders, Math Camp is for kids who love math, hate math, fear math and don’t care about math. Math Camp may not be the most exciting prospect to local children, but once they arrive, said Math Camp Director Dr. Anita Kitchens, their attitudes change. The fast pace, the no-pressure atmosphere and the support and encouragement from coaches and teammates make the four evenings of intense workshops an all-out fun fest with a very real payoff—a new understanding of themselves, as well as a new understanding of how to think about and approach math.
“This camp is about showing them things that they won’t see in school,” said Kitchens. “The picture is not people sitting in chairs listening to teachers; the picture is of a basketball camp, with kids everywhere doing things.”
Kitchens indeed designed the camp to function much like a sports camp, with stations, teams, coaches, trophies and plenty of hands-on activities.
“Emphasis is placed on teambuilding and we constantly encourage campers to believe in themselves. The kids leave the camp feeling important, confident,” said Kitchens.
Try turning this image upside down.
Math Camp coaches are students from the ASU Department of Mathematical Sciences who plan on becoming math teachers after graduating. According to Kitchens, the coaches teach the campers that everyone—no exceptions—has had a bad experience with math during their life. The coaches hope to change the campers’ perspective on themselves in regard to math through the camp, said Kitchens.
“A lot of students will tell you that math is their worst subject—they think they’re not good at this,” continued Kitchens. “We can fix that to make them think, ‘I can do this!’ They’ll hear from a lot of us: believe in yourself, and don’t let anyone tell you you’re not good at math. It’s life lessons, really.”
During the 12 hours of Math Camp, campers will learn more than just simple math. Coaches will also discuss that math is not a memorization process, but a thinking process; how math is used in the real world; individual learning styles; personal beliefs in math; and how each individual can be successful in the next school year.
“Math Camp is a small time investment but the kids get a lot out of it,” said Kitchens.
Math Camp is a social event, too. Every evening features free food, including Backyard Burgers on Monday, Harris Teeter on Tuesday, CiCi’s Pizza on Wednesday and Subway on Thursday, and the opportunity for students and staff to socialize.
“While the students are eating, relaxing, that’s when we talk about the importance of math; talk about any bad experiences with math they may have had,” said Kitchens.
Watauga County Schools, Boone Kiwanis and the American Association of University Women endorse Math Camp.
The cost of Math Camp is $120 per student, which includes instruction for 12 hours, limited accident illness insurance, certificates, awards, trophies and snacks. The cost increases to $140 if paid after 5:00 p.m. on July 10.
Space in the camp is limited to 120 campers. As of press time, 60 spaces were filled.
To register for Math Camp, obtain and fill out a copy of the application by clicking to www.camps.appstate.edu or by stopping by the ASU Offices of Conferences and Institutes on campus. Completed applications can be returned to: ASU Math Camp, ASU Offices of Conferences and Institutes, ASU Box 32042, Boone, NC 28608-2042; or by fax to 828-262-4992.
For more information, call Kitchens at 828-264-0181.
Want To Go?
Date: Monday to Thursday, July 13 to 16
Time: 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Location: ASU
Cost: $120
Extended Math Camp
Although Math Camp is for everybody, Director Dr. Anita Kitchens offers an ancillary program in conjunction with the camp that is targeted to students who excel in math and are thinking about becoming math teachers.
Twelve students will be invited to participate in Extended Math Camp and will meet from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. during the week of Math Camp. Working with teachers in a different way than they do in school, they will delve into mathematical topics in more depth. “Once you see more depth in a problem, it becomes more interesting and intriguing,” Kitchens said.
The participants in Extended Math Camp will also participate in a variety of linked activities in the coming year, so their four days at Math Camp aren’t the extent of their involvement. Any students considering a career in math will definitely want to check into this opportunity.
For more information about Extended Math Camp, contact Dr. Doug Jones at jonesd@appstate.edu or 828-262-2862.
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