An event where participants gather and explore math through puzzles and games.

 

Problem solved:  Two children focus on a puzzle. Bright colors and shapes frame the photo.

  1. Math anxiety is real: Up to 93% of Americans experience math anxiety — and kids with a fear of math perform worse at the subject.
  2. Inequalities persist: Girls and students of color enter STEM and tech careers at a drastically lower rate.
  3. Math isn’t fun: School curricula focus on memorization and formulas, not problem-solving and collaboration.
  4. STEM shortages continue: The U.S. will be short 1.1 million STEM workers by 2024.
  5. Math is a solo sport: Math is often seen as an individual activity, one where you succeed and fail on your own.

What was done: A young boy smiles holding a colored puzzle piece and sits at a table with colored pieces of a puzzle. 

  1. Build confidence: Open-ended activities allow kids to succeed early and build up to more challenges.
  2. Promote inclusion: Girls and students of color get more out of math when they can express ideas, grapple with concepts and freely question tasks.
  3. Inspire joy: Happiness is positively associated with a person’s personal drive to learn, and even with a student’s GPA.
  4. Encourage play: Students often lack the skills needed for STEM careers. Play helps teach them the foundations.
  5. Create community: Learning math is social, not individual. Working together allows teams to solve problems and develop soft skills.

Link to JRMF | JRMF and Key Club 

DIY Festival Planner

An image of an online math festival with students solving a problem on the screen. Two girls and an adult smile while working on a puzzle.