As part of our annual 180 Awards nomination and selection process, HMH is always proud to celebrate all of the gains and accomplishments of students around the country—and this year is no different.
The following MATH 180 student winners were acknowledged by their teachers and HMH for their remarkable improvements and academic distinction in math. Each student winner received $500 and the nominating educators of each MATH 180 winner also received a $1,000 gift certificate for professional development publications from Math Solutions that they can use in their classrooms.
We are pleased to honor the hard work and dedication the students displayed and encourage them to strive for excellence in all areas as they continue on their learning journey.
Angelina Crawford, North Syracuse Central School District, Cicero, NY
Grade 7, MATH 180, Course II
Angelina’s teacher, Erika Gilbert, recalls a time when she was having challenges with math proficiency. “At the beginning of the school year I rarely saw Angelina in class. She was often absent or tardy and would miss her MATH 180 class, Ms. Gilbert said.” This happened a lot in the first year that Angelina began the MATH 180 program, but Ms. Gilbert noticed that once Angelina started to apply what she was learning, her outcomes started to improve and her mindset began to shift.
As Angelina started to take notes and ask questions, her Quantil® score shot up from 455 when she first began the program to her current score of 795! Ms. Gilbert attributes this growth to Angelina’s commitment to work hard and the structure of the MATH 180 program, which allows students to work with manageable chunks of class work.
Angelina’s mindset around math has completely changed. “I used to think math was not a big deal, but then I realized that everywhere you go, math is there, she said.”
Angelina dreams of becoming a veterinarian, and her teacher is sure that with her surge in confidence and increasing aptitude in math, Angelina’s ambitions are highly attainable.
Jorge Aguirre-Garcia, Little Rock School District, Little Rock, AR
Grade 8, MATH 180, Course II
A young man with a passion to help others, Jorge initially held an 855 Quantile® score, but his score dropped to 785 during his first year of MATH 180. His teacher, Mr. Lawrence Tippen, describes the setback as a challenge that Jorge met head on. He not only was able to boost his score over time, but he also developed a deeper love for mathematics and wants to help others with what he’s learned.
“I was a guy who didn’t like working with others,” he admitted. But his ability to apply MATH 180 principles shaped him into a student leader. “I was a solo guy, but with the help of MATH 180 and my teacher, I’m now able to help others if they’re doing complicated things.”
A self-professed future math teacher, engineer, and mathematician, Jorge has exemplified excellence and Mr. Tippen reports that, “As a result of his success in MATH 180, and his understanding of math skills and decomposing numbers, Jorge was able in his eighth grade year to go from taking regular math classes to being enrolled in a Pre-AP math class.”
His teachers and his classmates have taken note of his leadership capabilities and these are the exact qualities a future educator should have.
Bryce Kingfisher, Murrieta Valley Unified School District, Murrieta, CA
Grade 5, MATH 180, Course I
Bryce struggled to understand math concepts. His teacher, Patricia Smith, says that initially Bryce’s academic challenges affected his ability to excel in the MATH 180 program—and as a result, started with a low Quantile® score.
Ms. Smith gradually noticed a positive change in Bryce, which was rooted in a change in mindset. “If I make a mistake, it doesn’t matter,” Bryce says. “Everyone makes mistakes, but you learn from your mistakes.”
Learn, he did. Bryce was able to raise his Quantile® score to 685, more than doubling it! He is more confident, and his classroom conduct has improved. Ms. Smith also reports that he is now a hard-working student who helps others.
As for Bryce, he has another goal that he is working toward. “I need to learn more about math because I want to work for NASA when I grow up.” With his overall improvement in math and his other subjects, the sky is the limit.
Congratulations to all! To learn more about the HMH 180 Student Awards and this year’s recipients, visit our 180 Community.
Also, watch for more 180 Award student winner announcements here on Shaped, and on our Facebook page.
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