Celebration of Women in Mathematics :: Closing

The closing ceremonies were held in the K. E. White Graduate Center. Almost 400 girls were treated to sub sandwich lunches and various exhibits which explored women in science and math. Dr. Kathleen Fischer of the ECSU Geological, Environmental & Marine Sciences department delivered the luncheon address. The students then delivered their best "Math Cheers", some of which can be seen below. Awards were also given out for the best essays entitled "I Want to be Like Her". Winners in this competition were:

• Beth White of River Road Middle School (read my essay!)
• Jordan Chesson of Elizabeth City Middle School (read my essay!)
• Emily Ajumobi of Elizabeth City Middle School (read my essay!)
• Holly of River Road Middle School (read my essay!)
• Rokena Brown of River Road Middle School (read my essay!)

Award pictures can be found HERE!      School Photos can be found HERE!

View the great math cheers!
(Real Format)   Cheer #1     Cheer #2     Cheer #3

Beth White
River Road Middle School
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Her Name: Mary Kay Tornrose
Her Occupation: To help reshape mathematics teaching
Employer or Department where she works: The mathematics coordinator for the Public Schools of Newton, Massachusetts
Why you want to be like her: Because she puts her students and other students before herself. She goes each day to help change the world of mathematics and help reshape the world of math for the better. Mary Kay Tornrose is a very special woman. She works as the math coordinator for the public schools of Newton, Massachusetts. She goes out in the world each day to improve schools and their mathematics. She helps to make math known to many people. She tries to broaden the perspective of what the success in math is. Many people feel that they don’t need math, but you do if you want to make it in this world. She knows that to put those people and those young minds before hers is spectacular. To take all that math that she has gained and to share it with others is really a thrill. To know that someone like her is out there really gives hope. Mrs. Tornrose says that she has always liked math. She has taught at elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools to emphasize the conceptual understanding of math. One of Mrs. Tornrose goals is to keep the teachers and students of many schools informed on how important math really is. Mrs. Tornrose takes math to new heights and shows that math is not just a man’s world. Mrs. Mary Kay Tornrose is truly a remarkable woman and only one of many to come.

Her Name: Sharon Chapman
Her Occupation: Teaching
Employer or Department where she works: Amherst Junior High School
Why you want to be like her: I want to be like her because of her caring and enthusiastic way of teaching. Making the classroom fun and loving the students you teach shows true teaching skills as well as a wonderful personality.

Her Name: Dr. Fern Hunt
Her Occupation: PhD in Mathematics
Employer or Department where she works: Howard University
Why you want to be like her: I feel that Dr. Fern Hunt is to be a successful black woman who knew no boundaries when it came to excellence. She is a self directed assured person who is very assertive. She shows that you can come from the worst of times and with hard work, anything is achievable. She has made me realize that I could change the world with math. That to me is a woman.

Her Name: Janet Norwood
Her Occupation: Federal Government Employee
Employer or Department where she works: Federal Government
Why you want to be like her: I want to be like Janet Norwood because she was a past-president of an American Statistical Association. And the fact that she can go to her job and like it is pretty cool. And that she can actually say that she likes her job even when it is difficult & challenging at times. Where she works she has a good staff and is proud of them. Janet has an interesting and important job. She is a Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor. Her job is the most important job in all of the jobs in the federal government. In her job she oversees about 3000 government employees that collect and analyze data on labor. But these are most of the reasons I would like to be like Janet Norwood. She’s actually pretty neat. And she seems to be a very successful person. And also she seems to be successful in life, and very good in math. So that is why I want to be like Janet Norwood.

Her Name: Beverly Anderson
Her Occupation: Mathematics Teacher
Employer or Department where she works: University of District Columbia
Why you want to be like her: She’s one of the few African Americans doing something positive with their lives. Not that that’s a bad thing. I am 13 years old and I want to do something with my life, reading articles about people like Mrs. Beverly Anderson. The article states that she is a woman of deep beliefs. Me, myself as a young woman at the age of 13, I know someone is making a difference. Beverly also strives to bring people together, in a respectful, and honest manner. I used to think that math was not that serious, but thanks to the people who sponsored this women’s mathematics program I know that math is in everything we do. Just like Beverly Anderson, I believe that I can learn anything that I put my mind into. Beverly grew up in New Orleans and she was there when the segregation was going on. It’s hard to be a success when people are downing you or making your self-esteem lower. I haven’t always excelled in math, but I can say, I can be if I want. Math is like any other skill. You make yourself good or great, or maybe even excellent.