Dedicated Iowa Student Sets and Meets Math Goals

Dedicated Iowa Student Sets and Meets Math Goals

FAIRFIELD, IA—Pence Elementary fourth-grader, Joshua Cardis, ranks #1 among all fourth-graders in Iowa, and #2 among first- through eighth-grade participants in the First In Math online program. He also ranks #41 among all fourth-graders nationally!

Joshua Cardis
Joshua Cardis shows off the certificate he received from school board members. Photo courtesy Steve Cardis.(Photo and full story appeared in the Fairfield Ledger)

Cardis began the program in October, 2014, after teacher Justin Messer introduced it as part of the classroom curriculum. Since then, the energetic 10-year-old has correctly solved tens of thousands of math problems, advancing beyond eighth-grade-level math.               

“I learned fractions, decimals, negative numbers, exponents and algebra,” says Cardis, explaining that the 24 game modules are still his favorite. “You combine numbers using multiplication, addition, subtraction, division, you can use the square root of stuff—but you always come up with the number 24.”

“What Joshua has accomplished takes a lot of work,” explains Tony Morrow, implementation consultant for the First in Math program. “Joshua correctly solved 85,000 math problems since mid-October.”

According to Morrow, Cardis is very intelligent, but more importantly demonstrates grit. “He will stick with something until he gets it.” Morrow was so impressed he sent a personal note of congratulations to Joshua.

“I couldn’t believe it,” says Joshua’s mother, Tina. “It brought tears to my eyes.”

Like Morrow, Pence principal Chuck Benge was also impressed. “I think that it really shows the drive that Josh had—most was performed at home on his own time.”

Joshua has been in the talented and gifted program since he was in kindergarten and has an intrinsic interest to learn on his own, but the First In Math program “really brought it to light,” according to Joshua’s father, Steve, who is an engineer.

Pence Talented and Gifted teacher Ann Hektoen said Joshua is not only gifted in math, but is also an artist and avid reader who has been working on a comic book for two years, drawing the comics himself.

At a recent Fairfield Community School District board meeting, Joshua spoke to board members about what it took to achieve his goals with First in Math.

“It feels good,” Joshua said. “I worked hard at home, and I had to do a lot of stuff inside of school and outside of school.” He also acknowledged that he couldn’t have achieved his goal without the support of Messer, Benge and Hektoen.

Fairfield Schools Superintendent, Laurie Noll, presented Cardis with a certificate of achievement, and says he was also very proud to wear the First In Math medals he received. “Josh told me that he wanted to be No. 1 in the state. This just shows that when students set goals, it helps them to achieve them.”

Joshua is presently attending College for Kids in Mt. Pleasant, and will transfer to Fairfield Middle School in the fall. Not surprisingly, he already has an idea about he wants to be when he grows up.

“I want to be a Lego engineer.”


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