ACES Faces Feature: Meet Jessie!

For our first ACES Faces Feature of the 2024-25 school year, we’re excited to introduce you to Jessie, a vibrant 4th grader who is just starting her adventure in the ACES program!

After just a few weeks in the program, Jessie shared that math has become her favorite subject. “My favorite thing is doing the math work. I like all the math. It’s a new thing I like!” Jessie credits supportive teachers and engaging activities at ACES for her newfound love of numbers and problem solving.

Jessie’s schoolday math teacher has noticed her growth and hard work, sharing, “Jessie is an incredible mathematician. She starts every math class on task by noticing and describing patterns. She is brave in sharing her thinking and loves to work alongside partners to hear ways other classmates have problem solved. This year she's been working hard on volume, multiplication, and division with multi-digit numbers.”

Jessie particularly enjoys ACES’s interactive, puzzle-based learning that involves teamwork and problem-solving. She appreciates how ACES uses computers and technology to teach math in ways that differ from her regular classroom. Her favorite ACES activity so far has been the “Virtual Escape Room.” In this fun challenge, she and her classmates searched for clues around the classrooms and solved problems together in small groups—all while racing against the clock!

Although she initially had little interest in sports, Jessie’s experience at ACES has shifted her perspective. “I think ACES helps me learn more about them. I’ve learned that sometimes sports can be fun, especially if you have good teammates.” For Jessie, being a good teammate means supporting one another, being patient, and celebrating successes.

Program Coordinator Sara Sunderman shares, “I absolutely love having Jessie in ACES. Her positive attitude is contagious, and she loves learning! It’s so fun to see how excited she is about learning new things. She is a great friend to her peers and spreads kindness to everyone in ACES!”

Jessie’s enthusiasm doesn’t go unnoticed by her Academic Coach, Lee Blons, who highlights her eagerness to tackle challenges. “Jessie brings enthusiasm to the program. She’s excited to take on challenging math problems and enjoys art.”

With such a vibrant spirit, Jessie is not only thriving in her own learning journey but also enriching the experiences of those around her. As Jessie puts it simply, “ACES is really fun.” We can’t wait to see how she continues to thrive in the program.