Program dates and hours
MVCC Math Corps 2024 Summer Camp
The camp will take place Mondays-Thursdays, July 8-Aug. 1, at MVCC's Utica Campus, 1101 Sherman Drive. There will be an end-of-camp ceremony from noon to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 1. Applications for middle school students are due June 28. Applications for high school students are due June 21.
- Middle and high school students: Camp begins at 8 a.m. and ends at 2 p.m.
- High school teaching assistants (TAs) and staff: Must attend mandatory orientation from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. July 1-3.
- Parent orientation: Orientation for parents/guardians of middle and high school students will be held at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 26, at the Rome Campus and at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 29, at the Utica Campus. Students should attend as well, as this is when they will take their placement tests.
- Diagnostic Testing: All new TAs will need to complete a diagnostic exam in addition to applying. The dates for the diagnostic exam are Saturday, June 22, at 10 a.m. at the Rome Campus and Sunday, June 23, at 10 a.m. at the Utica Campus. This is a no-calculator test that takes around 1.5 hours.
Before the bell
Each day officially begins at 8 a.m. Students are warmly greeted and provided with breakfast. They can participate in a number of optional activities, including playing games such as chess and mancala, going over homework, or socializing. The high school teaching assistants (TAs) meet at 8 a.m. with their college student instructors (CIs) to plan their team’s day.
Assembly
A half-hour assembly formally begins the day, with “Roll Call” promptly at 8:35 a.m. Assembly serves to create an environment in which academic achievement is celebrated and learning is seen as fun. Every day, accomplishments such as perfect homework scores are publicly recognized, with the majority of students being acknowledged on most days and no student going very long without recognition. Each assembly includes a short inspirational message designed to foster a feeling of love and safety for all participants. Funny skits, musical performances, storytelling, and anything else that our students might find entertaining are also routine parts of what happens in assembly.
Team time
Team time, which follows the assembly, is one hour in duration and is conducted purely under the leadership of the college and high school students. Each team consists of 10 middle school students, led by a CI and five TAs. Team time begins with the TAs reviewing the basics with their middle school students (each TA typically works with two middle school students) and in particular, going over the homework due that day. A variety of activities — including team-building activities, work on advanced topics, group problem-solving, and mathematical games — fills out the remainder of the hour. Above all, team time is designed to promote a bonding between students, wherein big brother/big sister relationships between younger and older students are fostered and flourish.
Courses and curriculum
Every student in Math Corps receives formal instruction in basic mathematics and in advanced topics.
Lunch/Family Meal Day
Students are given a basic lunch Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. Thursday is Family Meal Day when students and staff are treated to an outdoor picnic.
After Lunch: In the afternoon, the high school students take college-level math classes while the younger learners enjoy special activities and projects.
Dismissal
Students go home at 2 p.m.
| 8 a.m. Meeting/Breakfast | Middle School students (Kids) have breakfast and socialize under the supervision of CAs, and Grade Supervisors, CIs, and TAs meet in the Team room - go over homework, skits, suggestions and questions. |
| Assembly | Everyone assemble. Senior staff goes over the rules and principles of Math Corps. Inspirational quotes/stories are shared by senior staff. The minister of humor does the joke of the day. The dean is introduced. Schedule changes and activities are announced. Kids get recognized by CIs for Tens and Stars on their homework |
| Classroom Time | Middle School students (Kids) have class taught by teacher TA - in the room walk around helping out students. Take notes for students who are absent. Sit around your student(s). CI - in the room supervise the TA and the kids. |
| Team Time | TAs help the kids with the homework, check and allow them to correct up to 3 points. If finished, hand it in to the CI who is leading the team time. Any extra time should be working on going over incorrect problems on the pre-test - get the check list from CI. Also, check to make sure that all their journals are complete. Journals for TAs and kids are collected on Thursday by CI. |
| Discovery, Problem Solving | Middle School students (Kids) have their fun math class with CAs and CIs, and the class is taught by Math Teachers. TAs are not part of this class. |
| Lunch | Lunch is broken down to two sections. The first lunch includes eighth-graders, their CIs, and TAs. The second lunch includes seventh- and ninth-graders and their CIs and TAs. CAs - serve lunch, take kids to the bathroom. Family lunch - everyone eats together; kids get their food first. |
| Algebra I & II, Pre-calculus | TAs take their math class according to what they scored on their placement test. The classes are taught by Math Teachers. |
| Journal Time | Kids and TAs write their journals. Cl collects them and turn it in to the grade supervisors at the end of the day. |
| Logic, Proofs | TAs take college-level math class. The class is taught by Math Teachers. |
| Activities | Kids have fun afternoon activities: Chess/board games/card games, STEAM class, movie/volleyball. Grade supervisors and teacher supervise the room, CAs help out and interact with the kids. Outdoor activities (Thursday) include: kick ball, soccer, volleyball, chalk arts, jump rope, hula hoop, badminton, and more. |
| MS Dismissal | Middle School Students dismissed by CAs and Program Coordinator. |
| TA Debriefing | The Dean, Grade Supervisor, and TAs join for a 30-minute discussion about the camp. |
| Senior Staff & CI Debriefing | The end-of-the-day wrap-up for updates, concerns, and suggestions to improve the camp. Thursday: Family Debriefing - Positive discussion only (TAs, CAs, CIs, senior staff). |
