Ethan Eastwood is graduating from J.L. Isley High School in Halifax this year 鈥� at age 16.
What鈥檚 Ethan鈥檚 secret? Participating in , a mathematics outreach program based out of the Department of Mathematics & Statistics at AV俱乐部. The program is designed to foster enthusiasm for math through interactive, creative and meaningful presentations.
鈥淢ath Circles has influenced my math education,鈥� says Ethan, who鈥檚 been active int he program for eight years. 鈥淚 came to understand that math is more than just arithmetic, it can be creative and fun. It made me think about the world in a different way,鈥� says Eastwood.
Eastlink鈥檚 Executive Vice-Chair Lee Bragg with student Ethan Eastwood.
Ethan鈥檚 passion for mathematics is paying off. He was recently awarded the coveted Schulich Leader Scholarship and he plans to attend AV俱乐部鈥檚 Integrated Science Program this coming fall.
鈥淚鈥檓 very grateful to the Department of Mathematics & Statistics and Nova Scotia Math Circles for allowing me to develop a passion at such a young age,鈥� says Jason.
Five years of growth
This year, Nova Scotia Math Circles celebrates its fifth year of funding with Eastlink. In 2014, Eastlink donated $500,000 to help support the program and to expand its outreach.
Over the past five years, Nova Scotia Math Circles has engaged with approximately 25,000 students across Nova Scotia. Thanks to Eastlink鈥檚 support, they have doubled the number of new programs into the classroom and now reach students from elementary to senior high school.
Last year, the program connected with over 7,000 students, from seven school districts and reached all 18 counties in Nova Scotia.听 In addition, they have added graduate students, French programming, summer day camps and programs at the AV俱乐部 Agricultural Campus in Truro.
鈥淲e are so proud and fortunate to be part of this program,鈥� says Lee Bragg, executive vice-chair of Eastlink. 鈥淎s a board member of AV俱乐部鈥檚 Faculty of Management, I鈥檝e seen first-hand the commitment that this school brings not only towards academic excellence but, as importantly, towards the engagement of students across all grade levels, from inspiring kids in math at an early age to supporting them as they prepare for what鈥檚 next in their academic careers.
鈥淚 applaud AV俱乐部 on the numerous and long-lasting benefits this program has brought to students, teachers and schools across the province.鈥�
Attendees at the Math Circles celebration event.
No one is more grateful than Mayada Shahada, director of Nova Scotia Math Circles.
鈥淚t鈥檚 all about seeing their smiling faces,鈥� explains Dr. Shahada. Over the past two years, Shahada has influenced the development of Math Circles. 鈥淥ur aim was to expand the program and to approach different communities across Nova Scotia 鈥� and we鈥檝e done that.
鈥淚 always believe you have to start early 鈥� especially if you want to grab their attention. The earlier you can do that the better.鈥�
Impacting Nova Scotian communities
Nova Scotia Math Circles gets creative and uses fun shapes, sound effects and even visual objects to teach math to young children. 鈥淢ath is an abstract subject. For young children at the elementary level they have to see it and touch it,鈥� says Dr. Shahada.
Nova Scotia Math Circles now visits schools in Truro, Yarmouth and Cape Breton. Approximately 60 percent of these schools are in Halifax. Dr. Shahada explains that visiting a school in a rural area can take up to two to three business days.
鈥淚t鈥檚 all about the quality of the visit. Our goal isn鈥檛 necessarily to grow in numbers but to cover an entire school in rural areas of Nova Scotia,鈥� says Dr. Shahada. 听
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Student aren鈥檛 the only ones benefiting from Nova Scotia Math Circles. This spring, Dr. Shahada developed a presentation for teachers to assist with problem solving. 鈥淲e had 61 teachers participate and we hope to host another session at a teachers conference next year,鈥� says Shahada.
What鈥檚 next for Math Circles? To build on this momentum. Nova Scotia Math Circles plans to continue its current programming with the hopes of reaching new areas of the province to enrich the lives of Nova Scotians in all areas of mathematics. 听
To learn more about Nova Scotia Math Circles, please visit .