Wayne State University Math Corps Summer Camp Illuminates Path for Success in Urban Education in 'It All Adds Up'

Wayne State University Math Corps Summer Camp Illuminates Path for Success in Urban Education in 'It All Adds Up'

Academy Award winning Sue Marx Films documentary debuts Nov. 17 on PBS Station WTVS-Channel 56.

DETROIT, Nov. 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On November 17, 2008, at 10:30 p.m., Detroit Public Television will unlock the secret to a Wayne State Math Program that has helped thousands of Detroit inner-city school children, from grades 7-12, become math whizzes and ultimately graduate from both high school and college. It All Adds Up is a powerful 30-minute documentary by award winning Detroit filmmakers Bob Berg, Sue Marx and Allyson Rockwell. It showcases the story of Wayne State University's Math Corps, as told by the teachers who created it and the students who live it.

"Math Corps is an innovative, effective approach to educating at-risk students," said Wayne State University President Jay Noren. "We believe this program can be replicated in other urban public educational systems that are struggling to meet the needs of their students in the face of what seem like insurmountable financial and societal hurdles."

Conceived by Wayne State faculty members Steve Kahn and Leonard Boehm in 1992, the Math Corps model is predicated on a simple concept: create a nurturing, supportive environment where students are held to a standard of excellence by both adult professional instructors and their older peer mentors. The concept works. Benchmark testing shows that, on average, students entering the Math Corps with low math skills (30 percentile) raise their scores to the 90 percentile in just six weeks. Since 1995, an estimated 90 percent of Math Corps students have graduated from high school. An extraordinary 80 percent have gone on to college. Approximately 10 percent of the "Math Corps" high school graduates either entered the military or pursued technical training.

"Parents, teachers and school administrators in every city need to see this film," said Marx, who spent nearly two years researching and shooting the documentary. "The founders of Math Corps, Steve Kahn and Leonard Boehm, are my heroes as are the children they teach. Sure, members of the Math Corps are passionate about mathematics, but more importantly, they are passionate about helping each other -- in school and in life."

Heather Bradley, a special education teacher in Albuquerque, NM, had a powerful reaction to It All Adds Up. In a letter to Sue Marx Films, Heather notes, "In a day and age of over reliance on assessments, this film proves that testing standards are not what create children who are engaged, thoughtful learners. Children learn and learn how to learn when they are expected to be curious, support one another, examine and understand their failures and celebrate their successes."

An October 10, 2008 New York Times article by Sara Rimer cites a recent study by the American Mathematical Society, which suggests that "American culture does not highly value talent in math, and so discourages girls - and boys for that matter - from excelling in the field." To the contrary, Wayne State University's Math Corps identifies and cultivates mathematical talent in a place society rarely expects to find it - the inner city - and amongst a population of students who must overcome overwhelming odds simply to graduate from high school.

"Math Corps proves that academic success is not defined by zip code," said Rich Homberg, general manager of Detroit Public Television WTVS (Channel 56), which will broadcast "It All Adds Up" locally on Nov. 17 at 10:30 p.m. The documentary, available on DVD, will appear on other PBS stations at a later date. Twelve individuals and foundations generously supported the project.

"Wayne State, as a public research university, plays a critical role in addressing urban challenges that exist globally. As Detroit's public television station, Channel 56 is proud to bring the story of Wayne State's Math Corps success to our local community, and wider to audiences across the nation."

It All Adds Up was produced and directed by Sue Marx and Allyson Rockwell. Production took place during the summer of 2006 and 2007. Director of Photography, Bob Berg, also edited the film and shares a directing credit along with Producers-Directors Sue Marx and Allyson Rockwell. Original music was composed by Howard White.

A trailer for the film can be viewed at http://www.dptv.org/ondemand/promos/mathcorp.shtml

Wayne State University is a premier institution of higher education offering more than 350 academic programs through 12 schools and colleges to more than 33,000 students.

Sue Marx Films is an Academy Award winning production company that has produced over 200 films, videos, and television spots since the company was founded in 1980.

Source: Wayne State University

CONTACT: Francine Wunder of Wayne State University, +1-313-577-2150,
fwunder@dmac.wayne.edu; Sue Marx of Sue Marx Films, +1-248-593-5353,
suemarx@suemarxfilms.com, or John O'Donnell of Detroit Public TV,
+1-248-305-3781, jodonnell@dptv.org

Web Site: http://www.dptv.org/ondemand/promos/mathcorp.shtml
http://www.wayne.edu/

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