LYNN, MA—When Robert L. Ford Elementary School lunch aide Cheryl Judge saw how much fun students were having with the First in Math Online Program, it made her want to help motivate them even further.
Judge, who serves kids lunch in their respective classrooms, heard students talking about the program and noticed one wearing a First In Math Player of the Day badge.
Photo: Cheryl Judge. Photo credit: Angela Owens / Item Photo
“I started joking with them, I told them I wanted a badge and asked where I could get one,” says Judge, who eventually approached Anmarie Donnelly, the school’s First in Math program anchor, to see if she could register with the program. Judge was thrilled to hear that not only does First In Math allow each teacher to play—every teacher is also provided with an extra Educator User ID. Donnelly also told her that the school’s FIM goal was to have the students complete three million math problems by the end of the school year. “I just wanted to help if I could,” offers Judge.
“She’s not a teacher, but she took an interest in the kids,” says Principal Claire Crane, explaining that it became a competition between Judge and the kids to see who could earn the most FIM stickers. “It’s good for the kids to see their lunch aide cares about them.”
Teacher Jen Smith encouraged Judge to help students in her classroom, and also participated herself. Within the program, teachers compete in their own category that is separate from students. Smith ranked fourth in the state and 25th in the nation among other teachers.
Two other Lynn Public School teachers and their students also achieved national ranking. Thurgood Marshall Middle School teacher Guarionex Rodriguez’s class is first in the state and fourth in the nation, while Tracy Elementary teacher Jennifer Nordyke ranked third in the state and 16th in the nation.
Condensed from an article written by Chris Stevens and published online in The Daily Item. Full article here.
If you enjoyed this story, you may want to view a related TED talk: “Why Lunch Ladies Are Heroes” by Jarrett J. Krosoczka.