Add Emmily Ramos to the list of young women who are rocking the basketball world this year.
On Monday, April 29, the fourth grader from Bruce-Guadalupe Elementary School in Milwaukee found out that she will represent the Milwaukee Bucks at the NBA Math Hoops Global Championship this summer. Milwaukee Bucks mascot Bango, representatives from ATC and the Bucks surprised her at school with the announcement.
Ramos will face off against nearly 30 other students at the Global Championship in New York City June 25-28, 2024. More than 10,000 students statewide participated in the Bucks Math Hoops powered by ATC this season, along with 166 educators and 80 Boys & Girls Clubs.
To qualify for the Global Championship, students must reach All-Star Student status during the season by demonstrating great sportsmanship, complete a minimum of 25 Math Hoops games (defined as 20 minutes of board game play or one full digital game) and complete a minimum of 10 Math Hoops lessons. A one to two minute video about the student is also submitted to the committee, along with a letter of recommendation from the educator.
“Math Hoops has been an excellent curriculum tool to engage my students in practicing math in a fun and interactive manner. As her teacher, I am so proud of Emmily and her hard work,” said Sean Patterson, fourth grade teacher at Bruce-Guadalupe Elementary School. “I’m grateful the United Community Center recognized the value of Math Hoops in our school curriculum and to ATC and the Milwaukee Bucks for bringing this unique and educational program to our school.”
Through a partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the United Community Center operates an independent public charter school within its campus. Included in this charter is Bruce-Guadalupe Elementary School (K4 through fifth grade) and Bruce-Guadalupe Middle School (sixth through eighth grades). Established in 1970 as a youth recreation center, UCC provides programs to Hispanic people and near south side Milwaukee residents of all ages. Of the more than 18,000 people who benefited from its programs in 2023, more than 90 percent are racial or ethnic minorities and more than 40 percent live at or below the poverty level.
NBA Math Hoops, powered by ATC, is a fast-paced, basketball-based educational board game and mobile app that follows a 10- to 16-week curriculum designed to engage fourth through eighth grade students while developing fundamental math skills through the game of basketball. The NBA Math Hoops curriculum uses academic best practices established by the Common Core State Standards and 21st Century Skills.
NBA Math Hoops has been shown to improve students’ grasp of statistics and enhance their interpersonal skills, helping them to collaborate more effectively with their peers. An understanding of math helps set students up for success in STEM activities and encourages them to become passionate, self-directed learners.