The data below is from the middle school students who wrote monthly reflections in their journals, charted their feedback weekly, and created video reflections at the end of session 15.

• Increased knowledge of the design process

• Increased self-confidence in addressing community problems

• Improved critical thinking and communication skills

The pre-survey indicated 11% of students felt knowledgeable about the design process.  The post-survey/reflection indicated 100% of participants felt knowledgeable about the design process.  

In the pre-survey 33% of students indicated that they felt confident to address pains/problems in their community.  That increased to 100% in the post-survey/reflection.  

100% of students also participated and co-led a night at the MIT Museum which highlighted their design process and ways they would encourage educators to teach mathematics.

Survey and Interview results:

Academic Mindset:

• 100% of middle school participants surveyed reported (mostly yes) or (yes) to “I can make a difference in my community with what I do at YPP”.

• 91% of middle school participants surveyed reported (mostly yes) or (yes) to “I can make a difference in my school with what I do at YPP”.

• 100% of middle school participants surveyed reported (mostly yes) or (yes) to “The work at YPP matters to me.”

• Some of the things scholars said they were most proud of were: “Learning new things in math and working with new people” and “Getting out of my comfort zone”.

Self-Directed Learning:

• 100% of middle school participants reported (mostly yes) or (yes) to “When I am at YPP I get to try new things”.

• 100% middle school participants reported (mostly yes) or (yes) to “ When I’m at YPP I get to use my ideas in different ways and in different places.”

Collaboration + Critical Thinking/Problem Solving: 

• 91% of middle school participants reported (mostly yes) or (yes) to “When I work in a group I get to make decisions”.

• 91% of middle school participants reported (mostly yes) or (yes) to “When I work in a group I consider a variety of ways to do something.”

• 100% of middle school participants reported (mostly yes) or (yes) to “When I work in a group I feel like part of a team.”

• One student commented “(To me, the benefit of problem solving and/or working together as a team) is to grow as a person.”

Communication + Content Mastery:

• 91% of middle school participants reported (mostly yes) or (yes) to “At YPP I have learned to present my ideas”

• 100% of middle school participants reported (mostly yes) or (yes) to “At YPP I have learned to listen to others present their ideas.”

• 91% of middle school participants reported (mostly yes) or (yes) to “ At YPP I have learned to apply my knowledge to real world situations.”

• One student commented, “They (my math skills) have improved and also I enjoy learning how to do math in a fun way.”

• Another commented, “It’s fun when you get the hang of it and have help and fun from teachers and peers while doing it.”

• And another, “I feel that I can share my ideas, and if someone doesn't agree, I can improve my design and make it agreeable with the rest of the group.”

Survey and Interview results:

• 100% of participants express enjoyment, feeling safe, and belonging when participating in activities at YPP.

• 100% of scholars feel that they can solve real world problems at YPP and can make a difference in their community with what they learn and do at YPP.

• Scholars gained deeper STEM exposure and individual playbook scholars expressed that when reflecting on their Math Playbook experiences.

Click below to listen to more reflections.

Participants express enjoyment, feeling safe, and belonging when participating in activities at YPP.

Quotes:

• “YPP is amazing.”

• “It's like one big family.”

• “I feel like we have made a lot of progress and everyone is understanding and nobody gets angry.”

• “YPP was great and I enjoyed YPP, I want my classes to be more like YPP.”

• “I've been a part of YPP for about 5 years now and I stay because I believe the work we do can have a great and positive impact on our schools' education and I enjoy and appreciate the community we have built.”

• “I am proud to work at YPP and enjoy the stuff. It's a really safe place that is why I enjoy coming here every Tuesday and creating ideas that can help the Cambridge community in the future with the ideas we create.”

• “YPP is a very fun and healthy environment.”

• “I learned a lot about myself at YPP. Being at YPP made me think deeply about my past experiences in the classroom, but more importantly YPP helped me deal with my mental health by bringing more awareness to it.”

Scholars feel that they can solve real world problems at YPP and can make a difference in their community with what they learn and do at YPP.

Quotes:

• “Yes. One of the first thing's we did before designing was reflecting on our lives in and out of schools, to see how we can design around a problem or "missed opportunity" we see in our education. We continued throughout our design process to ask ourselves what problems our projects would help to fix and how we wanted to see people interact with them.”

• “Yes I would define the work we did in YPP as real world problems. I feel like everything we did is related to that.”

• “We solve real- world problems in YPP. The things we talk about here are real world problems, mental (health) is one and we addressed it in various ways. We did express (our) creativity and just focused on main topics.”

• “We addressed mental health which is a very big problem that many students have to deal with, without knowing especially due to the pandemic and one way we addressed this was creating a mystery line (with questions about mental health)."

• “(There's a) lack of career based education (in) middle school (so) we addressed (it) creatively by creating the Math Identity kits...illustrating a possible future for students in a new and engaging way.”

• “Anxiety, we addressed it by coming up with questions to ask kids when they are stressed or sad so they aren't overstimulated.”

• "Yes, because mental health is a real world problem.”

• “Most of the time because we talk about issues in school.”

• “Kids not liking math was the problem. I addressed it by finding ways to make math more fun. Making math games and different things like that.”

• “I learned that as a community we can change a lot of things and since we talk about mental health and strategies for math it's extremely helpful.”

• “I learned that what we are doing can benefit many people in the future and it's important because it's good for people to experience better things.”

Scholars gained deeper STEM exposure and individual playbook scholars expressed that when reflecting on their Math Playbook experiences.

Quotes:

• “(I came) up with a format for the physical kit, creating the architecture math identity kit and assisting with the sports analyst and computer science math identity kits.”

• “I made my own kit with computer science and gaming as a topic.”

• "(I want students to walk away with) a possible interest in a new career, a new outlook on how math class could look, a less stressful way to do math in class, being collaborative with your peers in your class.”

How do you feel at YPP and why?

I feel like I belong here and that others care.

I feel like I belong because my friends are here

I feel accepted and I feel welcomed because people listen to me and my ideas for me and i don’t have to change my personality for them

I feel comfortable because I am really close with every person in YPP.

I feel happy because I’m friends with people here.

Good because I get to use my learning and help little kids understand it.

How does YPP encourage you to be creative?

It encourages me by thinking about things I never thought of.

We made games and learned ways to be creative.

I worked with many people who share my thoughts.

They ask me for my ideas that come straight from my head not what I think i want to say to sound smart.

By teaching me, making my own games, help (ing) me design.

Do you see yourself as a mathematician or designer? Why or why not?

I see myself as a designer because I like to design certain things and being creative.

I see myself as a designer because I can be creative.

As a designer because it’s fun to make games.

Yes I do because at YPP I feel creative to do my own thing.

I am grateful for this group because…

• • India: It feels like a second family to me

  • Mia: I feel like I can be myself even when I am struggling. I never feel sad when I come to YPP

  • Desmond: I feel like I can come to you all whenever I need you all

  • Isabelle: It is a very good community that has a lot of support 

  • Leila: A good environment to walk into

  • Mia: Everyone makes me feel comfortable and it is a place where I can come even if I am struggling in school

  • Rhiana: I can easily share my thoughts and ideas in the group and you feel comfortable

  • Tara: A comfortable space where I can make mistakes unlike math class

  • Elijah: It makes me feel connected to the community

  • Angie U: It feels like there are endless possibilities to so many questions; I feel like there’s a lot of freedom

  • Mariam: Because it’s fun and I can be myself

  • Angie S.: I can be creative and design with supportive members

  • Ilwaad: Everyone’s ideas are accepted and it’s judgment free zone

  • Eliana: It made me like math more

  • Camille: Because it's supportive and fun

  • Cindy: It reminds to why I wanted to become a teacher and see who my students are outside of school