It was an evening of friendly competition as fifth- and sixth-grade students from throughout Valley Stream District 30 participated in the district’s second annual Math Hoops Tournament on March 13. Administrators, staff, students and family members gathered in the Clear Stream Avenue School gymnasium where teams of students from Clear Stream Avenue, Forest Road and Shaw Avenue schools put their game faces on to play the fast-paced basketball board game, NBA Math Hoops, against their fellow peers.

The after-school Math Hoops program allows students to learn fundamental math skills through engagement with the real statistics of their favorite NBA and WNBA players. The curriculum is tied to Next Generation Standards and 21st Century Learning Skills and has been shown to improve students’ basic math skills and understanding of statistics, in addition to their interpersonal skills, driving them to collaborate more effectively with their peers.

“It’s a really fun game and it’s competitive which I like,” said Forest Road sixth-grader Vania Bawla.

The event is facilitated each year by math coaches Timothy Rau from Clear Stream Avenue, Christopher Onorato from Forest Road and Andrew Canle from Shaw Avenue. Each school had about four teams participate in the tournament with two students on each. Students played each other during 10 minute rounds until the final top two teams were determined. The goal of the event was to give the students valuable play experience before the New York City Math Hoops Tournament in April. 

Students, families and administrators gathered around the finale table where Forest Road fifth-graders Isabella Dombrosky and Mania Ishtiaq competed against Forest Road sixth-graders Brady DelValle and Mohammad Khan. The sixth-graders were crowned the winners and both teams received trophies which will proudly be displayed at Forest Road School.