Getting kids to wake up early and give up a chunk of their summers to attend math camp sounds like a tough sell.

But the Stanislaus County Office of Education and a crew of local teachers have pulled off that feat.

The Summer Algebra College Awareness and Math Proficiency program, which aims to help area middle school students find success in the classroom, has exceeded attendance expectations, according to Kandy Woerz, a program coordinator at the Stanislaus County Office of Education.

We realize the importance of mathematics, Woerz said. The community and the parents also know the importance of mathematics. The teachers do a really good job of motivating. They give positive reinforcement, praising the kids, and kids love to go where they get praise.

Locally, about 15 Creekside Middle School students are honing their math skills from 8 a.m. to noon five days a week at Patterson High.

Patterson Joint Unified and Newman-Crows Landing Unified school districts are hosting the summer programs as part of a trial aimed at improving students success in math and sparking interest in careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, often collectively called S.T.E.M. careers.

Summer C.A.M.P. students are in the gap neither failing nor proficient or advanced (in math), Woerz said. Hopefully, by their participation in C.A.M.P., it will move them into the advanced or proficient range.

Seventeen school districts in California are participating in the S.T.E.M. Learning Opportunities Providing Equity project. S.L.O.P.E. is funded through the U.S. Department of Educations Investing in Innovation grant program and aims to help students become proficient in eighth-grade-level algebra.

Students also learn about S.T.E.M. careers and other academic career paths through college-awareness curriculum that has been customized for each district participating in the project.

The grant program is providing new and innovative techniques for teachers, Woerz said. The project-based curriculum, in conjunction with the college-awareness component, connects math to the real world for students.

Continue reading here:
Success adds up at summer math camp