Sonia Kovalevsky Days Selection Committee
Association for Women in Mathematics
11240 Waples Mill Road Suite 200
Fairfax, Virginia 22030

Dear Sonia Kovalevsky Selection Committee Members:

On behalf of the computer science, technology, and mathematics faculty and local Jefferson City community we would like to thank you for awarding Lincoln University of Missouri with the Association for Women in Mathematics Sonia Kovalevsky Math for Girls Day Grant. 

The fourth annual Lincoln University Sonia Kovalevsky “Math for Girls” Day was held on Friday April 24^th, 2009 from 8:30am to 2:00pm.  Our goal was to host one hundred young ladies from St. Louis, Kansas City, Jefferson City, Columbia, and the Bootheel areas of Missouri and East St. Louis, IL in grades eight through twelve along with their teachers.  108 young ladies and their teachers were registered by local schools and parents.  Thirteen speakers committed to attend the event and present student workshops focusing on the relationship between mathematics and different careers.  Speakers included Lincoln University faculty and federal, state, and local agency representatives.  Enclosed are a report of the day’s events, the event brochure, participant evaluations,  and a CD that includes pictures of Math Day activities. 

Please do not hesitate to contact Donna Stallings or Dr. Sivanandan Balakumar regarding the enclosed report. 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Donna L. Stallings                                              Dr. Sivanandan Balakumar

Lincoln University Math Instructor                            Lincoln University Department Head

Sonia Kovalevsky Math for Girls Day Report 2009

The Fourth annual Lincoln University Sonia Kovalevsky (LUSK) Math for Girls Day was held April 24^th, 2009 from 8:30am to 2:00pm on the campus of Lincoln University in Jefferson City, MO.

Prior to the event, Lincoln University created a web page where parents & teachers could register and gather information regarding the day’s events.  Teachers and parents registered online, printed their registration forms, and then faxed or emailed them to the mathematics department office.  Registration ended on April 8, 2009 with 88 students and 22 parents/teachers registered from the following schools:

• Jefferson City, MO – Helias High School, 
• Jefferson City, MO – Thomas Jefferson Middle,
• Fulton, MO – Homeschooled Students,
• Kansas City, MO – Central High School,
• Wardsville, MO – Blair Oaks High,
• Jefferson City, MO – Homeschooled students,
• Linn, MO – Linn Senior High,
• Jefferson City, MO – Calvary Lutheran High,
• St. Louis, MO - Hazelwood East Middle School,
• Jefferson City, MO – Simonsen Ninth Grade Center, and
• Lexington, MO – Lexington High

After each registration was received, confirmation letters were mailed to confirm attendance and provide driving directions and information regarding workshops and the problem solving competition.      

Our initial goal was to register 100 young ladies and their teachers and we were excited that we met and exceeded that goal long before April 24^th.  During this year’s event, program organizers decided to limit each school to twelve registrants.  The hope was that we would have more participating schools so that one school would not dominate the winners circle during the mathematics competitions.  The number of participating schools increased from  seven in 2006 during our first event to 11 in 2009.  Many schools continue to request that we increase the number of attendees per school and provide a program for young men.  We are in the process of attempting to gather additional funds to host more young ladies as well as host a fall male event.  A break down of participant’s attendance is shown below.  All information reported in the tables below was obtained from evaluation forms.

Student Attendance Information

(information obtained from evaluations)

Teacher/Parent attendance Information

Mrs. Donna Stallings, Program Co-Coordinator, Dr. Ruthi Sturdevant, LU Computer Science, Technology, & Mathematics Department Head, and Dr. Carolyn Mahoney, President of  Lincoln University provided a welcome on April 24^th, 2009 to kick off the third annual Sonia Kovalevsky Math for Girls Day.  The 2009 LUSK Day theme was Mathematical Modeling.  The day began with a light continental breakfast and registration, which included meeting with Lincoln University mathematics majors and professional math tutors.  The mathematics tutors and LU students helped program participant’s sign up for workshops, complete surveys, and obtain giveaway bags.  Each participant received a LUSK Day program, LUSK Day Handbag, LUSK Day pencils, a book donated by Scholastic Books Inc., and an LUSK Math for Girls Day umbrella. 

Participating teachers divided students into teams of two or three prior to arriving in preparation for the forty-five minute team problem solving competition (Grades 10 – 12 High School Level, Grade 8 & 9 Middle School Level). 

At the close of registration, LU student volunteers directed students to the appropriate competition classrooms.  Per 2008 evaluations, the teacher/parent workshop was reinstated.  Teachers and parents attended their first workshop during the student competition where they discussed ideas about how to help their students learn and become more interested in mathematics.  The second teacher workshop was led by an LU faculty member who showcased a Smartboard and displayed how to engage students in the learning process.  The third teacher workshop was presented by MODOT and included an invitation to participate in the statewide Engineering competition and summer camp.    

After the Team Competition, students had the opportunity to choose from six different seminars.  Each seminar was limited to 15 students to allow speakers to provide individual attention and hands on activities.

Seminar Speaker Information

Student Seminars

Mrs. Bernadette Turner, Lincoln University Mathematics Professor

Female, Caucasian

 LTC Mark Jordan, Lincoln University ROTC Instructor

Orienteering

Male, African American

Amy Rufener, LU Student

Build a Web

Female, Caucasian

Mrs. Donna Stallings, LU Mathematics Instructor

Tracks of a Killer

Female, Black

Mrs. Michelle Brown, Pathologist Assistant

Size Does Matter

Female, Black

Mrs. Sally Carter, NASA Education Specialist

Out of this World Menu Math

Female, Caucasian

Celeste Koon, Department of Natural Resources

Math and the Environment

Female, Caucasian

Mr. Joe Schaefer, LU Mathematics Instructor

Smart Teachers Use Smart Boards

Male, Caucasian

Mrs. Kati Austgen, Ameren UE

Female, Caucasian

Mrs. Brenda Griffin, Ameren UE

Female, Black

Mr. Tarang Parashar, Ameren UE

Male, NR

Ms. Mary Daly, Ameren UE

Female, NR

Eugene Matthews, LU Sociology Faculty

Crime Scene Mapping

Male, African American

David Williams, MODOT

MODOT Collaboration

Male, African American

During lunch, students, teachers, and parents visited three vendors who provided information about local STEM focused programs.  Students obtained additional information was obtained during the lunch hour from Missouri Department of Transportation, Missouri Department of Conservation, and NASA about summer camps and activities.     

After lunch, teachers participated in an open competition for prizes that included LUSK Day mugs, LU paraphernalia, and donated items.  1^st, 2nd, and 3^rd place student teams received medals (gold, silver, bronze) for obtaining the higher scores in the problem solving competition.  All Students received participation certificates.   

Prior to closing students visited various campus buildings and facilities.

Suggestions (for others)/Challenges of 2009 program:

Each year we have used Federal, State, and Local agencies as presenters.  All of the government agencies are always looking to recruit students and have provided great giveaways.  I also like to use persons within the community who are somewhat well known (TV weather personality).  This is usually a good attraction for teachers to bring their students.  I also believe it is important to highlight a teacher within a district to encourage that district to participate.  This was especially important for us since we are in our infant stages of the program.  Unfortunately we had three schools to cancel at the last minute due to funding.   Having other grants to support the math day helped us sponsor two small groups of students from outside the local area.  (Ameren Union Electric provided two $125 stipends to help sponsor young ladies from schools that are more than 30 miles from Jefferson City, MO.)  We hope next year we can continue to provide additional travel grants that will help us sponsor students who could not attend due to a lack of or limited district funding.  An additional and continued challenge is how to increase the number of minority participants.  The ratio of white to minority participants has consistently been 70:30 since the LU Math Day began in 2006. 

During finals week and throughout the math day, faculty and program organizers collected information and noted concerns and possible improvements for 2010.  Below is a short summary of the suggestions made by student participants, teachers, LU faculty and volunteers. 

1.  Provide detailed information about the competition to teachers before they arrive so that teachers can review strategies for taking a group test.  This was a concern as many groups of students did not work together, but rather worked on individual exams and then handed in one persons test from the group who had completed the most problems.  This method does not allow students to participate in a discussion about problems.  Students are not used to talking during a test and are therefore less likely unless this is a skill they have seen and practiced. 

            2.  Many participants have suggested that we host the event on a Saturday.