By Ashley M. Casey

Staff Writer

For the second year in a row, Gillette Road Middle School’s MATH 180 program has produced an award winner. Sixth-grader Trevon Walker is one of only 15 students nationwide to receive a 180 Student Award from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Last year, then-seventh-grader Gadge Lum received the same award. He was the first GRMS student to do so. Trevon, like Gadge, is in Erika Gilbert’s MATH 180 intervention class.

“I really didn’t like math until I did MATH 180,” Trevon told the Star-Review.

MATH 180 is an intervention program that combines teacher-led instruction with independent, computer-based lessons and games.

Now, Trevon is more confident during tests and quizzes, and he’s able to apply his knowledge in everyday life.

“When you go to the store, you’ve got to look at the prices,” he said.

Gilbert had to submit a written nomination for Trevon to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Once he was accepted as a finalist, Trevon himself had to write a personal essay and Gilbert wrote a longer statement about his progress in the MATH 180 program. Trevon’s “quantile” scores have increased by 128 percent since he joined Erika Gilbert’s math intervention class in September.

“Trevon has made some really good gains. He’s increased his math skills significantly in that time,” Gilbert said. “He’s doing great and I’m super proud of him.”

Gilbert isn’t the only one who is proud of Trevon’s progress. Trevon said his parents were happy and excited to learn that he had won, and he was pleasantly surprised himself.

“It’s amazing,” Trevon said. “I really didn’t think I was actually going to win.”

Trevon said Gilbert is an “awesome teacher.”

“She helped me by telling me what kind of math stuff I need to learn to succeed,” he said, adding, “It’s getting much easier.”

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has awarded Trevon $500 to further his education and also will award Gilbert a $1,000 credit for professional development materials from Math Solutions.

Gilbert said her students’ success shows that the MATH 180 program really does help students who are struggling with math.

“I think it shows that the … MATH 180 program has a lot of value and a lot of good stuff to it,” she said. “It’s really helpful to our students.”