A fourth-grade class at East School in Long Beach achieved first place in the National Sumdog mathematics competition that ended on March 31. They were up against approximately 2,000 other teams from across the country as they completed 1,000 math problems designed to sharpen and strengthen concepts covered through the curriculum.

Under the guidance of teacher Douglas MacConnell, the class collectively succeeded. Additionally, Isabelle DePalma attained the highest score in the nation out of approximately 17,000 students, with 995 correct answers out of 1,000. Patrick Henry was also within the top 10, placing seventh with a score of 970.
Sumdog promotes teamwork and fosters confidence in students. Teachers can set starting levels and create their own challenges for students, and the Sumdog program automatically makes problems more difficult as students excel.

The fourth-graders took on this challenge with a deeper motivation – they hoped that by winning, they would be able to help a second-grade class in the building receive a free Sumdog membership. After fulfilling their goal, they proudly wrote and presented cards to teachers Sara Hagen and Christine Walsh, informing them that their class would now have the opportunity to partake in educational games that promote learning and develop skills in reading and writing.