The program encourages young women to pursue careers with
a foundation in mathematics by providing an intensive skills-building
summer course. The long-range goal, says Pagni, is to help
more young women succeed in calculus, thus opening the
door to such university majors as chemistry, engineering,
geology, biology, physics and math and the careers they
inspire.
The short-term goal is to address the needs of female high
school students who are college bound and succeeding in
all course work except math. With the program’s intensive
training, students regain the confidence and skills needed
to succeed, according to Pagni.
Participants study six hours a day, Monday through Friday,
focusing on either algebra 2 or precalculus. But it’s
not all book work. The goal is to make the lessons fun
and interesting, so students work in teams on projects,
posters and other activities, says Pagni, a longtime leader
in mathematics education.
Photos by Patrick
O'Donnell. |