Schools

Lawrence Third-Grader Wins National Art Contest

Slackwood Elementary School third-grader Abigail "Abby" Crutchley learned on Monday that she was one of 12 winners in McGraw-Hill Education's national "This is My Math" art contest.

Editor's Note: The following is a news release issued by .

“Every vote counts” rang true for Abigail “Abby” Crutchley as the Slackwood Elementary School community learned Dec. 5 of her selection as a winner in a national art contest from McGraw-Hill Education.  Abby, a Slackwood third-grader, was one of 72 finalists selected from over 2,400 entries nationwide that demonstrate what math means to the young artist through sculpture, drawing, painting and photography.  McGraw-Hill Education’s “This is My Math” student art contest engaged students in grades K-5 in the real-world use of math outside of the classroom.

Initially, Slackwood teachers George Regan (math academic support instructor) and Jill Lee-You (art teacher) worked with fifteen Slackwood third-graders to create and submit to the contest an original piece of artwork and a written essay on the topic "What Math Means to Me." Abby learned in the beginning of November that she was a finalist. . The vote total and a committee at McGraw Hill determined the final 12 winners – two each for grades K-5.

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Abby’s winning art entry will be on the cover of the new third-grade math book within McGraw-Hill’s newest elementary math program “My Math,” as related by Linda Freedman, a McGraw-Hill sales rep in the School Education Group who was on hand for Slackwood’s winning announcement.

In addition, Abby’s entry will be one of the twelve winning selections to be displayed at the new Museum of Mathematics when it opens next year in New York City.  Abby’s school, teachers and classmates will receive nearly $15,000 in fun and functional classroom prizes including a Smartboard and a computer. Contest sponsors in addition to McGraw-Hill include Promethean, netTrekker, Psychological Software Solutions,  Intel, Texas Instruments, eInstruction, VWR Education/Science Kit, The Math Forum @ Drexel and Crayola.

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“Mr. Regan and Ms. Lee-You did a really nice job of getting our students to focus on the goal which was to use an art form to show ‘What Math Means to Me.’ Abby’s project exemplifies this goal,” related Slackwood Principal Jay Billy.  “We are very excited at Slackwood to have a published artist in our school.” 

George Regan stated, "Abby is an exceptional student in all areas, including mathematics.  Her dedication to learning and pleasant personality are valuable assets to her class since she started in Kindergarten here at Slackwood Elementary School. We are very proud of all her accomplishments and are thrilled that the talent and effort she put into her contest entry was recognized and rewarded with this magnificent honor."

Check out a short video on the district’s Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/LawrenceTownshipPublicSchoolsNJ) page showing Abby in a Slackwood assembly when the winner was revealed to Abby and the entire school.


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