REHOBOTH, DE—As a teacher, Sheila Stephanis has heard her share of ‘what I did on my summer vacation’ stories. This summer, with the help of the 24® GAME, she created one of her own.
Left: Shelia Stephanis works on the 24 game logo portion of her design. Right: The finished sculpture.
Stephanis, from Marietta, PA, was among more than 100 teams expressing their artistic flair in the sand at the Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce 37th Annual Sandcastle Contest on August 1.
“I've been teaching kids how to play the 24 game for 24 years now,” smiles Stephanis, who taught math at Elizabethtown Area Middle School for 19 years, and most recently taught 4-6th grade math at Bear Creek Intermediate School. Now retired, she enjoys sand sculpting, and participates in the contest each year. This year she decided build her sculpture around the 24 game.
Prizes are awarded to the Top 10 sculptures in several categories. Stephanis was one of the winners in the Top 10 Judge’s Favorites (Adult, 15 & up) category. Her sculpture was titled simply, ‘24 Game’.
“I had a lot of nice comments on the sand sculpture and won a trophy, but the interactions with the people were the best part. After my big win, I sent some photos to Suntex, makers of the 24 game and First In Math. I thought they might get a kick out of it,” chuckles Stephanis.
“Everyone in our office was just blown away by this incredible sand sculpture,” says Suntex VP Barbara Asteak. “It is heartwarming to learn how many different ways we touch lives with our games, and how many different mediums are used to express the love and appreciation children and adults have for the family of 24 games.”
“Even though I’m no longer teaching, I still think the 24 game is the greatest,’ says Stephanis. “My kids loved the game and it was a great mental math exercise. They were sharpening their skills but it just felt like fun to them.”
Stephanis especially loves what used to be referred to as the ‘Platinum’ editions—Fractions/Decimals, Algebra/Exponents and Integers—and wishes more kids would become interested in them. “My advanced students were crazy about Platinum cards, and pressed me to teach them concepts that were not yet in their curriculum. They became whizzes at the decimal, fraction, exponent and algebra cards, and finally I had to teach them the integer rules so they could solve integer cards too—even the fourth-graders. They solved cards faster than I did, and I’m pretty good.”
The veteran teacher also used the First in Math program, which she says her students enjoyed, but her greatest memories are still tied to the 24 game. “Back in the day when we had a Pennsylvania State Championship competition, Mr. Sun signed a shirt of mine. I'll frame it when it falls apart. Thanks for inspiring my kids!”
See all 9 Classroom-sized editions of the 24 game, including “Platinum” cards, at 24game.com