When you do nothing you feel overwhelmed and powerless. But when you get involved you feel the sense of hope and accomplishment that comes from knowing you are working to make things better.
Maya Angelou
In the dog days of the pandemic I often wandered over to my neighbor’s yard. As we had for the past two decades, we’d explore new gems growing in her gardens while pondering the problems of the world. She’s a retired social worker, long-time resident, and youth volunteer in the community, and I’ve always valued her wisdom and enjoyed our talks.
The education and the future of my kids weighed on my mind a lot during this time. After they were sent home in the pandemic and school assignments withered away, uncertainty loomed. Over the years we’ve experienced a mix of successes and challenges in the public schools. How might this new upheaval impact them?
We saw veteran teachers we’d long counted on retiring early as local political power struggles and cultural wars began tugging apart our schools and community. I shared with my neighbor that in my darkest days, when feeling overwhelmed and powerless, I sometimes wondered, too, if maybe it was time to dismantle and rebuild the whole system. Then one day she said to me, “You know what we need? We need a Saturday School.”
Saturday School Inspires
As a former social worker in Maryland, my neighbor was familiar with Saturday School, which was founded by Dr. George B. Thomas, Sr. thirty-five years ago to close academic achievement gaps. The program grew from a modest 21 children and 19 volunteers to now over 3,000 children, 400 volunteers, and paid teachers. It’s fueled by the core vision that the success of students rests with the entire community, not just traditional educators and institutions. Since that afternoon, a question has teased at the corner of my mind: How might 400 volunteers transform education in Jefferson County?
This spark encouraged me to launch the Jefferson County Math Circle, a registered MATHCOUNTS Math Club. MATHCOUNTS is a free program, mapped to middle school math standards, and sponsored by many organizations including the U.S. Department of Defense and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
What I love most about MATHCOUNTS is that it builds community around learning. This summer I’ve partnered with Rachel Heller, the Shepherdstown Library’s Youth Director, to create our local Math Circle. We’ve recruited a dozen volunteers from local high schools and colleges. Together we lead, support, and challenge a group of middle schoolers with math games and brain-teasers. Students learn to work together, talk through puzzles and problems, and share their strategies and solutions.
Creative & Fun Exploration
The program is not just for “mathletes,” although we did have two members place in West Virginia’s state competition this year. Students who are less confident in math benefit from a low student-to-coach ratio and fun, creative ways to explore math. For instance, in addition to math games teams can enter a contest to write and record their own videos on how to solve math problems.
MATHCOUNTS will be expanding this fall through a West Virginia legislative appropriation of $50,000 to hire math coaches in middle schools throughout the state. I am eager to work with others in the community who are motivated to branch off our efforts or even begin their own.
And the question still teases: How might 400 volunteers transform education in Jefferson County? Wouldn’t it be awesome to find out?
If you are interested in volunteering or are the parent/guardian of a middle school student who might be interested in learning more about MATHCOUNTS, email Judy York (judy.york.wv@gmail.com).
Judy York is a retired CEO turned executive leadership coach and local educator. She’s taught as adjunct faculty for Shepherd University and Frostburg University, a substitute for Jefferson County, a MATHCOUNTS math coach, a 4-H Club leader, a Sunday School teacher, and a homeschooling mom. For over twenty years she’s lived in Shepherdstown with her wife, raising their three kids and many dachshunds.
By Judy York