Path to Math: SFUSD Mathletes Unite!

With new Crankstart grant funding, Spark was thrilled to launch a pilot program this year to support math excellence at SFUSD.  Funding supported SFUSD elementary and middle school teams competing in various math competitions, covering registration fees, competition practice materials, snacks (important!), and other associated costs. In total, 83 SFUSD middle school students participated in math competitions this school year.

Participating schools included Lawton Alternative School, A.P. Giannini Middle School, Rooftop School, James Denman Middle School, and Bessie Carmichael School.

Congratulations to the mathletes from Herbert Hoover and Presidio Middle Schools for advancing to the MathCounts State Competition.

A special thank you to the dedicated math team coaches who help inspire a love of mathematics through competition and teamwork: Rori Abernethy, Angelina Alvarez, Sergio Alvarez, Craig Brecker, Anna Flores, Monalee Gandhi, Scott Nadig, Armen Sedrakian and Kimberly Thai.

One coach reflected: "At the start of the year, many students were intimidated by the complexity of the problems. They expressed frustration and felt unsure how to begin. Over the months, however, I have noticed a meaningful shift. As we approach Test 5 [of the Math Olympiads], students are more willing to sit with challenging problems and attempt multiple strategies before giving up. Rather than shutting down, they now ask clarifying questions about terminology and actively try to make sense of what the problem is asking."

This growth extends to educators as well. One coach noted: “As a coach, this experience pushed me to be more intentional about how I facilitate problem solving. I have since incorporated similar group-based practice test formats into my core math class, allowing students to work through challenging tasks together before completing individual assessments. This has increased mathematical discussion and peer-to-peer learning in my regular instruction.”

Another encouraging trend is the increased participation of girls. As one coach shared: “I’m proud that this year we recruited more female members than in any previous year since the club was founded three years ago. Girls now make up the majority of our membership.”

We’re on the Path to Math!