WASHINGTON, DC—It proved to be a winning combination—a motivated school, a well-matched competitor, an inspiring leader with a dedicated staff, and the excitement of March Madness.
Kramer students celebrate their FIM March Madness title.
After several weeks of fierce competition, all 435 Kramer Middle School students celebrated their status as the 2014 District of Columbia Public School First In Math March Madness champions at a March 26 awards assembly hosted by Principal Kwame Simmons.
Simmons, one of the tournament’s most ardent supporters, explains the impact the First In Math program has had on his students. “First In Math is building the overall capacity of my students. They would never have independently explored math prior to their exposure to this program. Now they are engaged and willing to take a deeper dive.”
LEFT: Kramer Principal Kwame Simmons helped present awards to students. RIGHT: Robert Sun and Khadeejah Smith, FIM Anchor at Kramer MS.
That dive delivered gratifying results when the students accepted their trophy, having made it through many competitive rounds on their way to the Final Four. Kramer Middle School, IYP, Moten and School Without Walls were all candidates for the title. In the final matchup, Kramer held off IYP to take the title.
Capitalizing on the popularity of college basketball’s spring tournament among DCPS students, the FIM March Madness competition mirrors it’s college counterpart by inviting the top schools in the district to participate. Each school is paired off with another, and the school averaging the most stickers per student over a 48-hour period moves on in the brackets. This assures that the competition is based on effort and the willingness to work hard to solve math problems.
In addition to winning the FIM March Madness Championship title, Kramer Middle School is presently the #1 ranked First In Math school in the District of Columbia, and a heartbeat away from being the first District of Columbia school to enter the National Top 100 Schools rankings (All Grades).
During the assembly, Robert Sun, creator of the First In Math program, addressed the students via a live video feed and congratulated them on their significant accomplishment. “This achievement represents a lot of hard work and commitment,” said Sun. “You’ve proven to yourselves, the city and everyone who believes in you that adversity isn’t going to stop you or slow you down. You have experienced greatness, and with the support you receive from a school full of angels, you can grow that opportunity and thrive."
Sun ended his congratulations by assuring students that the strong foundation they build in math today will serve them well throughout the rest of their lives.