Leonard Lopate Show

Did you hear?

This week, JJ, Thays, and Emyr were interviewed on the Leonard Lopate Show on WNYC along with journalist Amy Harmon who wrote the piece about math and friendship in The New York Times.  

Due to limited mics, JJ and Thays were in studio while Emyr called in from school.  You can listen to the entire live stream online, but here are some highlights from the conversation:

“I’m going to spend my entire summer doing math and only math?! My mom automatically made me go.”

— JJ

“I LOVE math. I wasn’t always good at it. When I found out I was accepted to BEAM, I was excited.”

— Thays

“Thays showed us a problem she was working on with binary. We had to ask 3-4 questions and she would say yes or no and she could lie only once. ”

— Emyr

“Yup. That was from my Hamming Code course. I learned binary, Hamming Code, Morse code.”

— Thays

“As long I can remember, I have always liked math. I learned — really hard problems. Fractions, multiplying and dividing fractions inside fractions.
We also learned unsolveable problems.”

— Emyr

Let's talk about fractions!  You might be thinking, is that actually advanced for 6th graders? As with any content, the treatment matters. There are easy fraction questions, and then there are deep, interesting questions, like the ones that JJ, Thays, and Emyr were proud to work on in their "Math Fundamentals" course.  Here's a problem we love:

As you can see, the problems are designed to get students to really think about math in the context of fractions: what is true and why?  The other thing that makes this questions special is that they are the type of question a teacher rarely has time to cover during the school day. At BEAM, we care less about the content (fractions) than the thinking students do and we're so glad that our students enjoy the problems in front of them!

Below are some further problems we like:

Nice work, JJ, Thays, and Emyr! It was such a pleasure to hear you talk about BEAM. 

After the show, Melissa Eagan, Executive Producer of the show, gave Thays and JJ a behind the scenes tour of the studio!

BEAM Alumni Focus Group

How do we help BEAM alumni?  How can we do better?

BEAM has been running for 6+ years, long enough to have alumni in college and to have grown enormously as a program. As we move past our first 5 years and well into our first decade, we want to know what our students value about BEAM and what else we can do for them.

This month, we convened our first in a series of focus groups of alumni (with separate parent series coming later).

Here's what they had to say!

“The best part of BEAM is Office Hours! I had a new teacher for English, and I needed to learn how to write better. And I was in a way harder math class than before. And I felt more comfortable asking “stupid” questions here at BEAM than I did in school.
I wish I had more help knowing how to study.”

— Aishat, 11th grade, Brooklyn Friends School

“Last summer, I attended BEAM College Prep, which was so helpful. I didn’t really understand financial aid. I took notes on financial aid and I didn’t understand them but then I would refer back to these notes when I did my paperwork. And I heard about special circumstances for undocumented students, how they apply, and I was able to turn around and help my friends. At BEAM College Prep, we picked target, reach, safety schools. Starting my essay during the summer also really helped, being able to brainstorm and refine my ideas. My essay turned out bomb. ”

— Angelina, 12th grade, East Side Community High School

“BEAM was the first time I was away from home. Getting to live at Bard College in BEAM 2013 made college feel real for me.”

— Christian, 11th grade, Bard High School Early College

“My high school has had one graduating class, so they don’t always know how to help us with college applications. Teachers try to help, but it’s not enough. Last year, students didn’t get the financial aid forms in on time because no one told them what to do. This year, there are 12th graders who were told to apply to only CUNYs and that’s it.
BEAM helped me apply to all kinds of programs that will enable me to navigate college applications: Questbridge, F&M College Prep, LEDA. And then I take that information back and help my classmates.
”

— Faith, 11th grade, Comprehensive Model School Project

“I screwed up in 8th grade and didn’t put Bard on my list (HS application, Round 1 form), so Bard wanted to accept me but the Department of Education couldn’t match me with my dream high school. BEAM took me to a family enrollment center to get a form and fix it. ”

— Felix, 10th grade, Bard High School Early College

“I knew nothing about high school, and neither did my mom because she’s not from here. I had trouble knowing which HS was right for me and BEAM helped.”

— Mariam, 8th grade, IS 77

“In my HS, there is only 1 guidance counselor for 150 students. She has to write all the letters of recommendations for all the 12th graders and she doesn’t know us because she’s the guidance counselor for 12th graders only.
BEAM knows me and is able to give college advice that’s just right for me. BEAM helped me refine my college list, figuring out what was best for me strategically, which one would give the most money, or where you’re likely to get accepted.”

— Taylor, 12th grade, Manhattan/Hunter Science High School

Students also gave feedback on their favorite and least favorite events, how to stay in touch, and what help they still need. 

Aishat: you're in luck. We are adding a week-long HS transition class in August to teach study skills before students start 9th and 10th grade. Mariam already said she will be there!  And thanks to Angelina and Taylor who agreed to form a 12th grade committee to plan our graduation party. 

We can't wait to see what other focus groups will turn up!

AMC 8 Results

As you may recall, students took the AMC 8 contest back in November, and we wanted to report on how they did!

The AMC 8 is a 25 question contest, and it's quite challenging.  This year, 108,295 students nationwide took the contest.  The median (middle) student scored 9 -- just over a third of the questions answered correctly!  To score in the top 25% percentile, students had to score at least 12.  Only 90 students across the world got a perfect score. 

Of the 11 BEAM students who took the contest, seven scored above 9 questions correct, putting them above the nationwide average.  Good work, everyone!  We are particularly impressed by Agata, whose score of 20 puts her the top 5% nationwide, and one question away from making the honor roll. BEAM is sure this a sign of future success yet to come.  

BEAM in The New York Times

Meet Thays:

"I love math," she said, her face lighting up when asked why she had agreed to spend her summer doing math problems.

BEAM was featured in The New York Times over the weekend: "When the Equation is Unequal", an in-depth look at the first summer of BEAM 6 and a profile of three students: JJ, Emyr, and Thays.

Check out the article, and the accompanying feature that introduces the public to BEAM's high quality math problems. 

BEAM alums check out the article.

Welcome extern Janaya to the BEAM team!

It is 2017! And here at BEAM we have started the new year with a new addition to our team. Janaya Shelly joins us as an extern (a shorter version of an internship) from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT – our very own Dan Z’s alma matter). Janaya will be with BEAM for the month of January working on a project to create a database of good-fit colleges specifically catered to BEAM students.

More about Janaya:

Janaya is currently a sophomore at MIT majoring in Biology and minoring in Chemistry. She was born and raised in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania and attended public schools all throughout her adolescence. She knew she wanted to be a doctor since she was 11 and is interested in pursuing an M.D/Ph.D. (two doctoral degrees in the medical field). Her dream is to run clinical trials for anti-cancer therapeutic drugs and be the head of a laboratory.

“MIT is hard. MIT is intense. But the people are great.”

Janaya’s journey to MIT:

Janaya attended public high school in Lehigh Valley. She was very active in her community and was involved in many clubs and sports. She volunteered, took AP classes and college courses. Janaya applied early action to MIT. She applied to 20 colleges and universities! But MIT was her number one choice. Janaya believes that MIT has the resources to help her succeed and attain her goals of becoming a doctor.

Why BEAM?

While Janaya looked through her MIT online database that contained a plethora of possible externships she could apply to, BEAM stood out to her. What BEAM aims to accomplish is very similar to what Janaya does with her free time. Janaya tutors and mentors low-income students who are academically talented (in all subjects). She’s the co-founder of a start-up called “Lean On Me,” which is a dedicated volunteer organization designed to give college students a non-judgemental space to text-in and share their experiences. Janaya is also an activist who values doing things that are beneficial to her community. She values working with underserved populations of low-income backgrounds to assist in “bringing up the next generation of influential people who are going to make a difference.” Though Janaya joins the BEAM team for a month, she will be a huge asset for everyone at BEAM! 

Winter Party 2016

Each year, we invite all BEAM alumni and staff back together for a winter party of board games, pizza, music, and time together. It's so nice to have our BEAM family back in the same place, spending time together. 

This year, as a fun extra treat, we also set up a photo booth for alumni and staff. Check out all the portraits we captured!

From all the BEAM staff, we wish you a happy holiday season and a happy new year!

Annual Slightly Mathy Trivia Night!

Each year, BEAM supporters, students, and staff get together for a night of slightly mathy-trivia, upscale pizza, beer, wine, and fun!  

Our volunteer trivia host, Andy, designed a night of quirky and challenging questions!  Here's a sample question from each round: (answers at the bottom of the post!)

• Round 1 was a potpourri of challenging questions.  Here's a mathy one: "What is the smallest possible value for |a - b|, if a + b = 2017, a only contains even digits, and b only contains odd digits?"
• Round 2 featured a matching game.  Given a single sentence about a game in one of 20 languages, can you figure out which language you're reading and what sport is being described?  Here's an example: "In what game does one of the rules translate to 'Carduri trainer reprezintă Articole, Suporterii și Stadioane de un Antrenor poate utiliza în luptă'?"
• Round 3 was all NYC, with questions about the boroughs, high schools, bridges, and more about our city. For example,  "Which high school, which is one of the westernmost schools in Manhattan, is named after a former director-general of New Netherland?"

Teams, comprised of a mix of students, staff, and supporters worked together and got to know each other over the course of 36 challenging questions! 

Between Rounds 2 and 3, we took a break to ask all the students present about their experiences with BEAM.  The 8th-12th graders answered serious questions, and joked around, about math, high school, college, and more. 

Couldn't make it this year?  Sign up for BEAM's mailing list in the footer of this page to here when ticket sales start for next year.  Our staff and students can't wait to meet you!

Curious? Here are the answers:

• 245 (a=886 and b=1131)
• Pokémon (the language is Romanian)
• Stuyvesant (where one BEAM student is in 10th grade!)

Center for Talented Youth Admissions Results

On Saturday, December 3, 35 BEAM students took the admissions test for Center for Talented Youth (CTY).  CTY offers students three-week summer programs in math, science, English, and humanities, provided they score well either the math or verbal section of an admissions exam (the SCAT). 

This week, we found out that an unprecedented 29 students passed the test, qualifying to take either math or verbal courses, or both!  Next summer, they could take courses ranging from Discrete Math to Astronomy to Philosophy.  CTY's summer programs normally cost about $4000, but their exemplary financial aid means that the median BEAM students pays only $100 to attend. 

Congratulations to Crystal, Xavier, Ari, Gustavo, Stephanie, Luis, Dakota, Leny, Grace and 20 other students who have opened a door to the next opportunity!  We are so proud of you all.

Applying to High School: "It wasn't this hard when I was in 8th grade!"

It's that time again!  Every quarter, we recap recent news and upcoming events for our followers.  The most recent newsletter featured information about how 8th grade BEAM students apply to high school, an invitation to our upcoming trivia night, our inaugural "what we're reading section", and a recap of our recent essay writing workshop (because the growth mindset applies to writing just as much as it does to math!). 

To read the full newsletter, click here.  Sign up for future BEAM announcements at the bottom of this page. 

Getting on track for 8th grade: High School Information Session

This Saturday, 45 8th graders and their families joined BEAM to hear about high schools, how to apply, and also to hear the perspectives of BEAM students now in high school.  At the end of the event, students went home with personalized recommendations for which high schools to apply to as well as a calendar of next steps. 

Missed the event?  Here's some information and advice from our high school BEAM students. 

“BEAM suggested that I apply to NEST+m because I was studying for the SHSAT and the exams are similar. I ended up not getting into any specialized schools, but I did get into NEST+m. I have just finished two weeks there and I like it. Everyone is friendly. You can go up to an 11th grader and ask a question and they will help you.”

— Adrianne, 9th grade, NEST+m

“I first studied for the SHSAT during my summer at BEAM. I ended up being accepted into Bronx Science and Bard High School Early College and chose Bronx Science. There was some culture shock when I first arrived, but it’s absolutely the right school for me. ”

— Andy, 11th grade, Bronx Science

“BEAM exposed me to high schools I had never heard of. I went to visit Bard High School Early College (BHSEC) with BEAM. In the end, I got into both Brooklyn Tech and BHSEC. BEAM helped me make a decision and I went with BHSEC, which is the best choice I ever made.”

— Lennin, 10th grade, BHSEC

“I went to the Citywide High School Fair with BEAM. They taught me how to shake hands and introduce myself. While there, I talked with the Assistant Principal of the Academy for Software Engineering (AFSE). I really liked her and the school, so I went to an Open House to learn more. I ended up ranking it first and got in. I like the school because of its community environment.”

— Mona, 11th grade, AFSE

You can read more about each of their high schools on InsideSchools:

• Academy for Software Engineering
• Bard High School Early College
• Bronx Science
• NEST+m

8th graders?  Interested in attending one of these schools?

• Next step for Academy for Software Engineering: sign up for their mailing list; then, attend an Open House
• Next step for Bard High School Early College: come to the essay writing workshop on October 1; then, take the admissions assessment with us on October 25
• Next step for Bronx Science: keep studying for the SHSAT and ask BEAM for help with that
• Next step for NEST+m: sign up for the entrance exam; we recommend the October 29 date, as it's exactly one week after the SHSAT

BEAM is here to help with high school!  Please reach out if you have any questions.