About Us

MathPOWER’s mission is to transform the lives of urban youth by developing proficiency in advanced mathematics and personal resiliency.

We envision a world in which all students achieve competency in advanced mathematics, which serves as a gateway to lifelong learning and a productive career.

MathPOWER = (Our History + Our Funding + Our Programs)

History

MathPOWER began in 1989 as the Boston Algebra in Middle Schools (AIMS) Project, growing out of the nationwide Algebra Project, a venture led by civil-right activist Dr. Robert Moses. The Algebra Project sought to promote more effective ways of helping inner city children acquire skill with the symbolic language essential to them reaching higher-level mathematics proficiency. In 1998, our name changed to MathPOWER and our work evolved to reflect changes in mathematics teaching, learning and testing that took place in the Boston Public School (BPS) system and the state of Massachusetts. From the beginning, MathPOWER has been entirely dedicated to being a vehicle that helps to close the skills gap in STEM education for those whom we serve.

Programs

Through our Coaching and Professional Development programs, MathPOWER provides year round coaching for K-12 educators as well as workshops for out-of-school time (OST) providers, in order to support them in implementing best practices for teaching and in differentiating instruction based on student needs. Through our Math*STARS Afterschool Programs and our Algebra Plus Summer Academy, MathPOWER provides in-depth mathematics-centered educational services to elementary and middle school students who live in the most under-resourced communities in Boston. In 2014, MathPOWER provided either direct or indirect services to approximately 4,000 students within the Greater Boston area.

Funding

From a financial standpoint, MathPOWER has had very positive audit reviews for the last five years. During these very challenging economic times, the organization has increased its budget by more than 200% since 2006, raising more money each year to cover all of the organization’s expenses. We believe this success is a combination of the uniqueness and importance of our Mission combined with our commitment to creating measurable outcomes and utilizing external partners and agencies to help us evaluate the significance of our work (for more detailed financial information, see our profile on The Giving Common).

Puzzle of the Week

I am thinking of one of these five cards:

Which one am I thinking of? Here are some clues:

The value of my card is a prime number.
The values of adjacent cards add up to a multiple of 3.
My card is next to a card which is next to the 2 of hearts.

Click here for the answer »

Here is how to follow the clues:

The value of my card is a prime number, so it could have been 7 of clubs, 7 of diamonds, or 2 of hearts.
The values of my two neighbours add up to a multiple of 3, so it could have been 7 of diamonds or 2 of hearts.
My card is next to a card which is next to the 2 of hearts, so it could only be the 2 of hearts.

Puzzle credit: Mathsisfun.com