COOPERSBURG, PA—Andrew Walters, a fifth-grade student at Lower Milford Elementary in Coopersburg, was the first student to try a newly-launched First In Math® money game called “EQUAL PAY.” As a bonus, Andrew received a crisp, uncirculated two-dollar bill (1963 Series) from program creator Robert Sun’s personal collection.
Left to right: Principal Carol Mickley; Andrew Walters and Teacher Dale Beltzner.
Sun, an avid numismatist, thought it would be a fun way to reward the student who discovered the game. He chose the $2 bill because it is the only legal tender still printed by the U.S. Bureau of Engraving (BEP) that is not used in the Equal Pay game. "The $2 bill was not included because it is rarely encountered," explains Sun. The $100 bill is the highest denomination currently printed by the BEP. "Before the advent of digital currency transfers, the United States printed bills in $500, $1,000 and $10,000 denominations," according to Sun. "We even had a $100,000 bill that was used primarily for transactions between banks."
The Equal Pay game helps students recognize and count all denominations of coins and bills currently in circulation, and, like many First In Math games, also contains a few twists that encourage students to think ‘outside the box’.
“I’m so happy Andrew is getting this recognition,” says his teacher, Dale Beltzner. “Not just because he played this game, but because he’s a great kid who works very hard and loves the program.” Beltzner also notes that Andrew’s math skills have soared as a direct result of his involvement with the First In Math program. Andrew has earned more than 15,000 stickers, and has completed all eight FIM Skill Sets. He is currently ranked 4th among all fifth-grade players in Pennsylvania, and 14th among all fifth-grade players in the US.
Andrew says he was given permission to use a computer during recess on Friday, February 20, and discovered the Equal Pay game at noon—only seconds after it was posted on the site. “I really liked the new game. I finished it later that night.” Andrew says his favorite game so far is Ten Wheels, but he likes all of the games, “especially the new ones.”