Published: July 16, 2009 12:05 am      

Girls greater of two parts at camp

Frostburg professor sees participation as good sign

FROSTBURG — The surprising thing about the 27 children attending the Maryland Summer Center for Mathematics is not that they are motivated, easy to work with and quick to catch on.

It’s that so many of them are girls.

“We have a high proportion of females — over 50 percent,” said Marc Michael, professor of math at FSU and director of the center. “You know, typically, especially in college, there aren’t many women who pursue math. It’s true in science as well. So this is encouraging.”

The math center is one of three programs offered at Frostburg State University through the state’s summer center program. Designed for gifted and talented students in grades six through nine, the centers focus on advanced material.

Weeklong centers for robotics and solar and wind power took place earlier this summer.

On Wednesday, students simulated an experiment called “The Chaos Game,” using computers and an understanding of fractiles.

“I don’t do this, but my mom, she uses this program every day at work,” said 10-year-old Hanna Nilles, of Fallston, who used Excel to play The Chaos Game. “She’s a scientist.”

A first-timer at the math center, Nilles said it was great fun. Students from outside the county can stay in FSU dormitories during the week.

“I think it’s just really cool here,” she said. “I’ve always liked the idea of staying in dorms and having, like, longer classes ’cause at my school I think it needs to be a little bit more extreme.”

Unless the Maryland General Assembly amends its budget, the state’s 24 Summer Center programs won’t be funded next year, said Bill Reinhard, spokesman at the Maryland Department of Education. Supporters are hopeful funds will be made available.

“Working in higher education, I hear it from the Board of Regents and the state all the time,” said Michael. “‘We want more students in science, in the STEM disciplines — science, technology, engineering and math.’ These are the kids that go to school bored every day. They need these kind of programs to give them the kind of support they need.”

This year’s class includes seven local children, Michael said. Thirteen-year-old Ben Nairn has attended for three years.

“Well, math goes into, like, everything,” said Nairn, of Garrett County, explaining his interest in the subject. “Science, history, reading ...”

Flintstone sixth-grader Kayla Norton said the center’s classes — 7 ½ hours a day, altogether —– aren’t too hard.

“It helps you a lot in school, too, cause you’re doing more challenging things and you already have a head start on it,” Norton said.

Seeing so many girls in the classroom has been uplifting for Miranda Savage, who teaches math at Southern Middle School in Garrett County and is helping at the center. When Savage attended FSU a few years ago, she was one of three women in the math program.

“At this age group girls are less likely to have an interest in math,” said Savage. “In recent statistics, it’s been boys — that’s why it’s a ‘wow’ factor.”

Contact Kristin Harty at kharty@times-news.com.