Did you know that UCI is everything to me? UCI is a very amazing place to learn math. They influence us to try hard math and not to give up. UCI wants us to know that we can do amazing things in life. I can imagine a million moments that I can never forget. UCI is like my second home. […] They helped me understand that I can do hard math problems even if I think I can’t. We can do anything we want as long as I tried. UCI also influenced me to go to college because I see all different type of people who are hungry for learning and I want to become one of them. [….] Without math, I won’t be able to know how to solve problems, and I won’t find a good job because every job wants people to know math. The most memorable moment that I had in UCI was when my whole entire group finished the packet after thirty minutes. We were all proud of ourselves and proud that we all can do anything if we put our minds to it.

Have you ever been to a math program where you do more than just learn math? UCI Math Club is the best. It is such an amazing place. UCI helped me so much. It has influenced me to learn more about math, to keep going to school and to get a college degree. It taught me how to work with others and help others. Going to UCI also will help me with my future career, because I want to be a construction worker and because we use math every day. I saw a career presentation that talks about Urban Designer and I could notice how much math they need! When you go to UCI you get to meet professors and students from UCI, they become your friends and we have a great time learning math. […] While learning you are having fun, awesome no?

[About UCI Latino students sharing their stories…] They are all children of low-income immigrants and they are demonstrating than it is not true that if you come from low-income families then you cannot make your dreams come true. On the contrary, one can.

[About UCI Latino students sharing their stories…] To be honest, their stories gave me a lot of energy to get ahead with my children and support them more for their future.

The UCI Math CEO mentors include a number of first and second generation Latino undergraduate and graduate students who shared very similar backgrounds with my students and parents. Through interactions with these UCI students, our parents learned that where somebody comes from does not determine what they can do with their lives. Before the past school year, they never dreamed that their children would someday attend college. Through this UCI Math CEO program, parents learned not only that their children can go to college, but also became determined that their children shall go to college.

Dear Dr. Pantano, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to be part of this amazing program. It has been a very rewarding experience, and I truly enjoy it. I am looking forward to the next quarter when we resume our Math CEO meetings. Reflecting on the program… I wouldn’t be honest if I say it is easy to teach middle school students. Getting their attention and keeping them focused on the task is a challenge by itself. I understand that they are coming after their school day and are tired already and I do everything (sometimes even use humor) to make sure they don’t feel overwhelmed but see our meetings as a fun math activity rather than studying. Also, working on the problems without giving away the answers and too many hints requires another set of skills. I really enjoy asking them guiding questions that lead to answers. At the end, seeing the excitement on their faces when they find the solution to the problem makes all my efforts worthwhile. I believe I am making a difference in their life by instilling confidence that they can achieve any goal they set before themselves. During the break, when we have a presentation on careers, I always ask my students what they see themselves doing after high school and I encourage them to go for it. I want to see Math CEO grow and prosper, including more schools and having more volunteers, as it has a noble goal of giving disadvantageous kids the confidence that they can go to college and become any professional they choose.

I joined Math CEO during Fall Quarter 2015 when I saw the email from the School of Education. I really wanted a chance to teach math to students, because it is one of my favorite subjects. Of course, it had been 3 years since I had done any math, and all I did was teach my freshman friends calculus. When I first came in to tutor, I was scared; there was no telling what it would be like for me to work with middle schoolers. The questions were difficult and I spent hours in the night trying to find the best way to explain the material, but implementing those explanations was much more difficult than I had ever imagined. That very first meeting changed everything for me about my teaching methods and motivation. I’ve come to every tutoring session ever since to learn more about myself and to help these students get ready for college. My favorite moment so far was when I came into the wrong room for tutoring, and some of the seventh graders shouted over to me to be their tutor. I told them I wasn’t scheduled for the room that day, and I left to my assigned room. We only meet once a week which makes me sad, because that moment meant a lot to me. I feel like I made a connection with these kids and maybe inspire them to do better in math.