The Young People’s Project Inc. in Michigan recently held its first League Day Math Tournament at Willow Run Middle School. More than 40 students in grades five through 12 joined together June 5 at Willow Run Middle School to compete in what is called the Flagway Game, in which players categorize numbers.

Students, known in this game as high school math literacy workers, led each other and younger members of their communities through a series of competitive math activities.

In the students’ race to categorize numbers, the youths followed a structure of paths and nodes based on the codes they learned throughout the semester.

Working cooperatively with their teammates, each group displayed its competitive spirit. During the Tournament, Naomi Norman, parent and director of evaluation, planning, and assessment for Washtenaw Intermediate School District and member of the Southeastern Michigan Mathematics Literacy Project, was amazed by “..the energy and excitement of team sports with an academic focus,” that circulated throughout Willow Run Middle School last Saturday.

During the League Day Math Tournament, students from Arrowwood Hills Community Center, Cesar Chavez Academy High School, Cooley High School, Wayne Memorial High School, Lincoln Senior High School, Willow Run High School, and Ypsilanti High School used their savvy to categorize numbers in various mathematical series.

Throughout the course of an academic year, Young People's Project prepares students to compete in League Day by pairing college students from Washtenaw Community College, Eastern Michigan University and the University of Michigan with high school students. The mentoring relationships foster leadership skills and help develop the quantitative and analytical skills of the high school-aged youth.

Brittany A. Smith is a volunteer for the Young People’s Project. She is an undergraduate (rising junior) at the University of Michigan and is a former editorial board member and columnist for The Michigan Daily.