In the summer of 2014, now senior Kaila Avent worked with her Algebra 1 teacher Courtney McCarty to take geometry early and be one year ahead of her classmates in math. This opportunity has been offered the second semester of students’ eighth grade year ever since. McCarty says that a teacher’s goal is to meet the needs of all students, and Avent’s needs were not being met at that time.
“Mrs. McCarty encouraged me to work ahead when I was in 8th grade math with her because I was always reading in class and stuff,” Avent said.
After that summer, McCarty decided to open up this advanced math option to all students meeting the requirements, and the numbers of students reaching for that goal has been growing.
“Students need to have earned a 96% or higher 1st and 2nd quarter of 8th grade Honors Algebra and have scored, “Exceeds” on their 7th grade NeSA. The first formalized year, there were 7 students, the next year there were 15, and this last year I believe there were 17,” McCarty said.
Students who have taken this opportunity enjoy the accelerated pace of their high-level classes and see how it will give them an advantage in the future.
“…it challenges me to do the best that I possibly can and it prepares me for college and even beyond college when I am trying to get a job… Math is going to help me throughout life and in almost every job that I would want to have,” junior Ryker Vanbrocklin said.
Sophomore Landon Power appreciated the opportunity for similar reasons.
“I enjoy it a lot since I get to challenge myself…I think I will definitely use the problem-solving skills I learned from math in high school throughout the rest of my [life],” Power said.
There are few things students don’t like about the class; there is just so much of an advantage they get to experience. One common theme was not being able to have math class with familiar classmates.
“I’ve missed out on being in the class with my friends, but I’m still glad I got to work ahead. The teachers are probably thankful too because my friends and I are really really talkative,” Avent lightheartedly said.
Right now, Avent is not taking a math class, but would like to take an online Calculus 2 course that would offer college credit. She believes learning math at a more accelerated rate will make her future and college life much easier.
“…right now I want to major in some sort of theoretical physics or cosmology which is pretty much just a ton of math,” Avent said.
Overall, both the students and teachers have seen this program thrive and help out so many kids in need of higher level math.
McCarty said she sees a positive impact at the high school level. “To see their excitement in learning new math is very rewarding. It makes me confident we made the right decision for them.”
