PHILADELPHIA, PA-Hancock Elementary School and General J. Harry
LaBrum Middle School have two separate identities in two separate
buildings, but for all intents and purposes they are considered a
combined school. They share the same Principal, William Griffin,
and the same Assistant Principal, Andrea Miller. They also share a
winning philosophy that has led them to success in the First In
Math Online Program.
Hancock teacher Hayley Dogon created a First In Math competition
between the two schools, hoping it would inspire students to
greater success within the program. Hancock fifth-grader Chris Fu
ran with it, and when the 2012 National Competition ended he ranked
20th in the nation, all grades-and #1 among all School District of
Philadelphia students. An interesting young man, Fu also designed
and constructed a replica of Philadelphia's famous Benjamin
Franklin Bridge that is on permanent display at the school. Fu was
honored when Sun visited the display. "Chris was really excited
when I told him that Mr. Sun was an engineer," says Miller.
LEFT: Like Assistant Principal Miller, Hancock
teacher Barbara Schiffman is a long-time fan of the original 24®
game. She showed Sun one of the first editions of the game she
bought-look at the size of those cards!
RIGHT: Sun congratulates #1 School District of Philadelphia player
Chris Fu as his classmates look on.
Sun addressed the large crowd gathered at Hancock and shared the
story of his emigration to the US, and the difficulties he
experienced adjusting to school in a new culture. During a question
and answer session that followed, students asked questions like:
'how did you come up with the name First In Math' and 'how do you
think up the games'? During the award ceremony, Sun presented
Principal Griffin with a plaque, which prompted a huge round of
applause. Plaques were also presented to Miller and Dogon, and
awards were given to top three FIM players on each team, and top
five in the school.
Earlier in the day, Sun visited LaBrum to present their top five
FIM students with Achievement Medals. "We are proud of our
students," said Miller, pointing out that two of the top five
players also receive support for Autism. Part of the reason for
Sun's visit, however, was to meet 6th-grader Bryan Henry, who's
science fair project was all about First In Math. Henry enlisted
'lab people' to take a math-skills test. Then, some were able to
use FIM, and some were not. Later he retested the same subjects,
and found that the group that used the FIM site did better than the
control group. He presented his findings in a display titled 'First
In Math…First or Last? Does First In Math Help Students Do Better
on Math Tests?' complete with charts and graphs.
Bryan Henry stands next to his FIM science
project detailing his findings on how First In Math affected his
fellow students' mathematics skills.
"I like the initiative Bryan took in tackling a difficult topic
like education research. It is a topic that is of great interest to
me, as well," says Sun. "I've reviewed his project myself, and on a
grass-roots level it proves what other scientifically-based studies
have shown, that FIM helps students improve their basic math
skills." Sun says that he is going to try and work with Bryan in
some way during the next school year, and have him continue the
research on measuring resolve and persistence of urban children.
Sun presented all of Henry's lab subjects with FIM t-shirts, and
gave Henry a 24® Game baseball cap.
John Hancock is designated as a Demonstration School, and LaBrum
is in the process of becoming one. Teachers at Demonstration
Schools get extra training, and teachers from other schools can
come and learn from them.