Don Castro Center Open
New Community Building Site of Math Program to Help Elementary School Children
February 10, 2009
By Mimi Ko Cruz
A team of Cal State Fullerton faculty and community leaders is working on a program to help improve math skills of schoolchildren in the new Don Castro Center.
The center, officially named for the late Donald S. Castro — special assistant to university President Milton A. Gordon — by the Fullerton City Council on Jan. 6, is located in a low-income Fullerton neighborhood adjacent to Richman Elementary School.
Led by Mark Ellis, assistant professor of secondary education, the team has devised a five-week program, funded by a University Mission and Goals Initiative, that brings Cal State Fullerton mathematics faculty and students to the Don Castro Center to help 20 to 40 fifth- and sixth-graders who are struggling with math.
Ellis said the children will be assessed this month to determine what kind of help they need. Then, they and their parents will be invited to come to the center on Wednesday evenings to learn math skills.
Armando Martinez-Cruz, professor of mathematics, will work with the parents.
“He will help them realize the math knowledge they already have and that they use in their daily lives as a way to give them a sense of empowerment in their ability to help their kids learn mathematics,” Ellis said.
The Community Math Education Center was created as a way to share some of the university's resources with the community and give the university’s students, who are preparing to become math teachers, experience teaching, Ellis said.
“The goal is to help the elementary school students and to help our students develop their math-teaching skills,” he said.
“This might lead to a model program,” said Fullerton City Councilwoman Sharon Quirk, who teaches at Richman Elementary School and is part of Ellis’ team.
The other team members are mathematics professors Martinez-Cruz and Martin Bosangue; Sandra Sutphen, emeritus professor of political science; Silas H. Abrego, associate vice president for student services; Rosemary Castro, Fullerton Parks and Recreation coordinator; and Aaron Orozco, Fullerton recreation supervisor.
“This is a great opportunity,” Abrego said. “If we can find a way to motivate and inspire the students and their parents, they will gain a sense of hope. Don Castro would be proud.”
It was Castro’s efforts that resulted in the erection of the building, that houses after-school programs, as well as parenting, civics and English classes and other community learning projects.
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Produced by the Office of Public Affairs at California State University, Fullerton.