Sahuaro High School Letter of Support

To whom it may concern,

As a veteran mathematics teacher, I have come to appreciate the application of mathematics in all its glory. I am also very aware of the difficulty that many students have in understanding the utility of mathematics. “When will I ever use this?” is a common mantra expressed by many students. This sentiment is the backdrop for my involvement in the 5Saturdays program. My first introduction to the 5 Saturdays program was in the summer of 2019. Dr. Dave asked me if I will be willing to join him as a facilitator as he launched the first 5 Saturdays summer program in Tucson. I was a little hesitant at first, but as I learned more about the program, I decided that it could be an excellent way to get students involved in their own learning. My seven weeks of experience with the 5 Saturdays curriculum and working with the twenty students involved was excellent. There were lots of experiential learning going on, and students were excited about what they were learning. I recruited several students from Sahuaro High School to attend the 5 Saturdays summer program, and they were excited about the opportunity to learn differently. It was not about grades or other external rewards; this was truly about the joy of learning. Many students expressed those sentiments. They learned many applicable skills, including writing a resume, developing a business plan, and organizing their work; they did some coding and other group projects.

In the spring of 2020, as we were in the middle of the pandemic, I had a meeting with my administration, where we discussed how we can get students more involved in their own education. At that time, I proposed we start a mentoring program at Sahuaro High School; the premise was that we match up Seniors and Juniors as mentors to freshman and sophomore students as mentees. The administration agreed with my proposal; after speaking with Dr. Dave, I asked him if I could use the principles of the 5 Saturdays program as the framework for the mentoring class; he agreed, and we adopted the 5 Saturdays program. The program worked very well, especially since all my students were remote learners. I was able to get professionals and other community members to do zoom presentations to my students. Dr. Dave created a unique 5 Saturday curriculum that included a Job Readiness and Effective Communication course, a Design Thinking course, a Lean Business Startup and Innovation course, and a Business Financial Acumen course. Students were able to learn and practice some real-world business and entrepreneurial concepts in the high school setting. I was very pleased with the outcomes from the students’ involvement with the 5 Saturdays program and hope to continue this program next school year.

Thanks

Charles Collingwood

Dr. Charles Collingwood PhD

Mathematics Department Chair

Sahuaro High School