When it comes to being mathletes, Hobbton Middle School is proud to compare themselves to the Villanova Wildcats, who won the NCAA basketball championship on the hardwood.
The school’s road to victory started through classrooms during Imagine Learning’s March “MATH” Madness. After being the top school in North Carolina, the school is now ready to celebrate a national championship. The program offers online tutorials with a goal to help students with the subject. A public announcement was made by Connor Gray, the Raleigh-Durham partnership manager for Imagine Learning.
“These kids have worked very hard all year,” Gray said. “It was a month-long competition, but it took the entire year to qualify. I’ve been in the room with these kids several times and their dedication is really outstanding.”
Principal Jeff Bradshaw thanked the board and other school officials for their support for the program. About 109 students are enrolled at the school, which places students in a pathway based on their needs. In 2017, Hobbton Middle placed second nationally.
“That kind of set the bar and we were determined to win it all,” Bradshaw said.
The competed against 9,000 schools across the United States. It involved weekly competitions and the students completed more than 11,000 math lessons. While talking about the success, he also applauded the contribution of Natasha Owens Peterson, school lab facilitator, who worked with many of the students.
During the presentation, Gray invited the board and public to attend a championship celebration at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 16, inside the school’s gymnasium, 12081 Hobbton Highway, Newton Grove.