The Rice University School Mathematics Project is one of the oldest and largest preK–12 education centers in the country. The RUSMP team bridges the Rice University STEM research community and preK–12 community and helps prepare the next generation for a brighter future.
This summer, RUSMP offered two-week Preparing for Success courses in Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra II and Precalculus during July and a three-week Preparing for Success Calculus course in June on Rice’s campus. Three students — Fernanda Sanchez, Omer Ekmekci and Sebastian Godinez — were invited to share their experiences. Fernanda is a 12th grade student at Harmony School of Discovery; Omer is a 10th grade student at Clements High School in Fort Bend Independent School District and Sebastian is a 9th grade student at Heights High School in Houston Independent School District. Here are their stories.
Fernanda: I learned numerous things in the RUSMP Preparing for Success in Precalculus course. I had the amazing opportunity to intern with the RUSMP team, witnessing all the effort they put into these programs and the enthusiasm of all the students who wanted to participate in this incredible learning experience.
Experiencing firsthand and being a part of the programs was astonishing. I have always struggled with math and never had an inspiring teacher to help me comprehend and love math. However, Joanna Papakonstantinou and Sandra Wallace were incredibly helpful and inspiring. They are amazing teachers who love to teach and create a genuine connection with all of their students. I can gladly say that I learned so much. I never really grasped many mathematical equations, formulas and definitions until now. It is truly amazing how much knowledge can be taught in such a short amount of time. I can now confidently say I am prepared for precalculus.
Omer: As a student who has always felt a special connection to math, I can say that this course has been nothing short of an amazing learning experience. Our instructors, Joanna Papakonstantinou and Sandra Wallace, exemplify the excellence of the RUSMP Preparing for Success programs.
They created an environment where everyone felt at home while also gaining a new appreciation for mathematics. The first few days of the course reinforced my knowledge of and reviewed key algebra II topics that are extremely important for success in my classes.
We then transitioned into trigonometry, and with the carefully structured methods our teachers had crafted, I gained a deep understanding of concepts that I wouldn’t have learned until halfway through the school year. I would also like to note the creativity of our teachers. They implemented diverse and immersive activities throughout the course to affirm our comprehension of the material. Some of these activities included challenging Kahoots, creating graphs to understand how trigonometric functions are displayed, and worksheets that refreshed our minds and set in stone what we had learned that day. This course exceeded my expectations, and I am delighted that I have been able to experience it.
Sebastian: My experience in the Preparing for Success in Geometry course was very eye-opening as it greatly increased my understanding of mathematics, specifically geometry. Last year, when I was in 8th grade working to finish algebra 1, I did not look fondly at mathematics, because I did not find the field of mathematics interesting.
However, this geometry course made me discover that there were topics in mathematics that piqued my interest. My favorites were the Pythagorean theorem and fractals. These topics intrigue me because of their relations with the real world. The Pythagorean theorem is a formula that follows special ratios, such as 3, 4, 5. These ratios are used to see if a triangle is a right triangle, hence satisfying the Pythagorean theorem. Fractals are identified as patterns or shapes that are self-similar, such as the Koch Snowflake or the Sierpinski Triangle. These two topics relate to the real world, making them so interesting.
Fernanda Sanchez
Harmony School of Discovery
Omer Ekmekci
Clements High School
Sebastian Godinez
Heights High School