Welcome

Greetings Region One,

My name is Kamona Ayres. I am the new Region I Alumni Extension PCI Chair. I have been a member of NSBE, since 2000 during my undergrad at Northeastern University. My undergraduate degree is a Bachelor in Mechanical Engineering Technology; I also have a Masters in Engineering Management. Thanks to my love for math, NSBE and the realization that PCI Students are the future. I am enthusiastic about working with you this year.
DREAM BIG!

 

Kamona Ayres
Region I Alumni Extension Try-Math-A-Lon Coordinator

 

History

At the 1995 Region VI Spring Conference, the National Society of Black Engineers - Alumni Extension conducted a Try-Math-A-Lon mathematics contest for high school students. This contest not only reflected NSBE-AE’s goal of providing encouragement, motivation and incentive for pre-college students, but also sharpened the interest and skill in mathematics, science and engineering of the students. All Region VI Alumni Extension chapters were strongly urged to participate in this program.

Alumni Extension (AE) chapters formed teams and administered mathematics Pre-Test to assess each student’s mathematical skills. From that point, AE members served as mentors and role models for the students to coach and encourage team members to improve their math skills.

In 1995, the Try-Math-A-Lon was implemented as a national program. Teams represented each of the six regions for a national competition, at the 1996 NSBE National Convention in Nashville, TN. Since that time, chapters from all regions conduct competitions and some regions are expanding the program and forming math camps.

As part of the Try-Math-A-Lon, the students take mathematics Post Test that is very similar to the Pre-Test. This gives a reliable metric with which to gauge the success of our program. We hope to see marked improvement in the math skills of the students that will allow them to score higher on standardized college admission tests and get a head start on success in college freshman math and science courses. To expose the students to real-life engineering problems and encourage teamwork, the Engineering Contest consists of science questions that relate to a real-life engineering problem. The final event, a Quiz Bowl, is predominately a mathematics competition in the style of the television game show Jeopardy, where quick thinking and problem solving skills are tested.