More than 100 middle school students to participate in 2nd annual Arizona Math Partnership Summer Camp

More than 100 middle-school students from six school districts throughout the Valley will participate in 2nd annual Arizona Mathematics Partnership (AMP) Summer Math Camp June 21-25, 2015.

This year's camp is at Arizona State University's Barrett Honors College in Tempe, AZ. Students will stay overnight in student dorms and get a taste of college life. They will also participate in math 

projects designed to share and teach math concepts in a fun and relevant way.

Selected campers are participating free of charge thanks to the AMP. AMP is covering the costs of the camp as part of its community outreach goal.

In 2012, the AMP received an $8.7 million, five-year grant from the National Science Foundation to implement strategies aimed at making middle-school math teachers more effective in teaching math. So far, more than 250 middle school teachers have received training.

During a two-year period of intense professional development, teachers learn new methods of imparting math concepts that emphasize problem solving, sense-making and a deeper understanding of content.

"We must have done something right last year because we had 260 applicants this year," said Trey Cox, this year's camp director and a math faculty member at Chandler-Gilbert Community College. "But we could only select 110 because of space and funding."

At the overnight camp, student campers will participate in math and science projects and experiments, ranging from a boxcar derby to robotics to building a mousetrap car. All activities are designed to teach math concepts.

Students will stay in dorm rooms at Barrett, eat at the college dining hall, and enjoy fun activities at the ASU student activity center.  

About the Arizona Mathematics Partnership

AMP consists of Promoting Excellence in Arizona Middle School Mathematics:  Increasing Student Achievement through Systemic Instructional Change.  The partnership consists of 10 core partners: Chandler-Gilbert Community College, Scottsdale and Glendale Community Colleges, and the Deer Valley, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Chandler, Florence, J.O. Combs school districts, as well as Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community schools. Supporting partners are: Arizona State University, Maricopa County Community College District, and the Glendale, Mesa, and Peoria school districts.