First In Math® 2010 National All Star Awards were presented to Julia R. Masterman School 6th-grader Valentino Papa (#2 nationally), and A. L. Fitzpatrick School 8th-grader Alice Hu (#9 nationally), who competed against more than 700,000 other active players in grades K through 8. This marks the second year both students have ranked among the Top Ten Players in the nation.
LEFT: Valentino Papa and Alice Hu hold up their FIM National All Star Awards as Northeast Region Superintendent Lissa Johnson (left) and Assistant Northeast Region Superintendent Karen Kolsky look on. RIGHT: Cherylene McClendon shows off the Dr. Lola J. May Award she earned as the #1-Ranked Team Leader Player (TLP) in the nation. She is flanked by her Principal, Gina Steiner (right), and SDP Director of Middle School Education Nancy Bratton. Back row: Penny Nixon, former Northwest Regional Superintendent and current Associate Superintendent of Schools, and Northwest Region Assistant Superintendent Jack Hamilton.
SDP Teachers were in the spotlight this year, as well, with four teachers among the Top Ten Team Leader Players nationally. Cherylene McClendon of Joseph Pennell School was presented with the Dr. Lola J. May Award as the #1-Ranked TLP in the nation, besting nearly 14,000 teachers competing. Colleagues Annamarie Mach (#3) of Woodrow Wilson MS, Gina Steiner (#4) of Joseph Pennell School and Beverly Liken (#7) from Logan School were also recognized with special awards.
Robert B. Pollock School produced a nationally-ranked team for the third year in a row. Team Furor48PA was the #1 third grade team in the nation, and ranked #5 among ALL grades. Team Leader Neal Beitman explains that he likes the First In Math® program because it allows him and his students to work as a team, "where the unity of meeting a goal or challenge becomes just as important to them as their own personal success."
Cred Dobson, retired Mathematics Academic Coach for the district's Northwest Region and current FIM Ambassador, understands completely. "We see it with the top teams and schools every year, they just come together and work tirelessly toward a common goal. Not a bad life-lesson, if you ask me," muses the long-time educator, who also points out that while the awards recognize achievement, they also obviously pay tribute to the dedication, perseverance and focus it takes to achieve at the highest level.
Three SDP schools placed among the National Top Ten Schools-All Grades in 2010: Morris E. Leeds MS (#3); AMY Northwest (#4) and Anne Frank School (#10). During the ceremony, 65 awards were handed out, including several special, unannounced awards. First In Math creator Robert Sun presented Lucy Feria with a FIM Regional Superintendent Award, while Leeds MS Principal Stephanie Mitchell, Baldi MS Principal Eugene McLaughlin and Anne Frank Principal Ellen Cooper all received the “Principal Of The Year” Cred Dobson Achievement Award.
A special keepsake book has been created to commemorate this event. To purchase a copy, please click this Creating A New Generation of Thinkers-Philadelphia link. The link will take you to a site that is not part of First In Math®, and therefore is not governed by our privacy policies. Pricing reflects actual cost of book--no profit is being made on the sale.
Philadelphia Award Ceremony photos courtesy of Matt Seaver-Studio XI Photography unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.