Led by Dean of Upper Elementary Antonio Smith, the program was born from a "solution-oriented" mindset.
"I'm the type of dean where if I see a problem, forget complaining about it, let's find a solution," Smith said. "We noticed a gap, and we knew we had to think outside the box to bridge it."
A Collaborative Effort
While Dean Smith spearheaded the initiative, he is quick to credit the talented team of educators who sacrificed their Saturday mornings to make the camp a reality. The program's success relies on the dedication of Davontae Daniels, Tenesha Bennett, and Khamicole Jones-Kemp.The creative, out-of-the-box activities weren't the result of a single person, but rather a team effort.
"It's about synergizing," Smith explained. "All four of us sit down and just say, 'Let's think outside the box. Let's make sure that what we do is tied to some sort of academics.' We want to tie the dots to make them know that it's just not a direct instruction type of thing. That turns a lot of students off from education."
The "Opposite" of a School Day
The camp runs from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and Dean Smith describes the atmosphere as "the opposite of a regular day," designed specifically to keep students from feeling burnt out. To keep engagement high, the team gamifies every lesson. During the "Division Race," students advance down the hallway only after correctly solving a multiplication or division problem. Other favorites include Math Jeopardy, where teams use a digital buzzer system to answer questions on fractions.Smith enjoys the competitive edge the students bring to the game.
"I put together a whole program where they can push the button and say, 'I want division for 200, Dean Smith!' or 'I want fractions for 500!'"
To reward this extra effort, the school provides a full breakfast and snacks, sometimes featuring pizza or other favorites to keep the energy up.
Encouragement: The Virtue in Action
The timing of the camp aligns perfectly with National Heritage Academies’® (NHA®) Moral Focus™ virtue of the month: Encouragement. For the Orion team, encouragement isn't just about cheering from the sidelines; it’s about building a foundation of confidence in students who have previously struggled. The camp targets "bubble students" in third, fourth, and fifth grades, those identified through interim testing results as being right on the edge of proficiency.By providing a safe, fun environment to fail and try again, the staff are encouraging these students to see themselves as capable mathematicians.
"I don't really emphasize winning so much; I really push the learning and the growth," Smith said.
This spirit of encouragement extends to the parents as well. The school works closely with families to hold them accountable for attendance, fostering a partnership that proves education is a community priority.
"Once they know that we’re serious about education, hopefully those waves could kind of trickle out into the community where everybody believes that this education that Orion is giving is beneficial," he said. "It isn't just about grades. It's about the whole ideal graduate that we want leaving this building."
Seeing the Results
The hard work is already paying off. In the most recent interim testing, third-grade math scores surpassed previous benchmarks. Perhaps even more telling is the shift in student attitude: children are arriving early for Saturday sessions, and many are reluctant to leave."That's about the greatest feeling, the best feeling that you could have," Smith shared. "We have kids that want to continue to learn."
The success of the Math Camp has inspired Orion to dream even bigger, with plans already in motion to introduce STEAM elements like robotics and drone technology. Dean Smith is determined to keep the momentum going.
"I just wanted people to hear our story here at Orion, that we are down here fighting hard to turn this place into an elite educational facility."
Way to think outside the box, Orion!
About Orion Academy
Orion Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Cincinnati, Ohio, serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies (NHA®) network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through high school across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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