Martin beat a group of peers in NBA Math Hoops, a math-based board game created by the NBA for its youngest fans. The game incorporates basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. After completing these math problems, scholars pick a spot on the board to shoot from and use cards of real NBA and WNBA players to score.
The small tournament accompanied a recent Pistons-Cavaliers game and pitted Detroit students and Cleveland students against each other. At Risk Teacher Brenda Benning happily accepted the invitation and was eager for Pembroke to represent the city of Detroit.
Benning selected Martin and one other team to participate. When the other team was unable to play, that left Martin as a solo player in a game for teams of two. Martin, who has helped coach other students throughout the year, persevered and won the entire competition.
Benning said she was very excited for Martin and that it took some effort to secure his spot in the competition.
“I had to jump through so many hoops, literally, pun intended,” Benning said. “I went back and forth with the competition coordinator because he was going to be playing alone. They worked it out for him to play solo and Elijah was fine playing by himself.”
After Martin’s big win, he attended the Pistons-Cavaliers game and earned $20 to the arena’s concession stands. This once-in-a-lifetime experience wasn’t possible without the hard work of Benning and the support of the Pembroke community.
While NBA Math Hoops helps students sharpen their math skills, students are building like skills as well.
“Teamwork is very important,” Benning said. “I also try to make sure they understand what’s important about being a team player. We talk about how to act when we win or lose, how to treat your teammates and opponents, and how important it is to be a good team player.”
The program has been a hit for Pembroke students, and it continues to grow in its second year. NBA Math Hoops allows students to connect what they’re seeing in school with what they see on their TV.
That’s one of the reasons Benning enjoys leading the group: students are excited to play, and merge personal and educational interests.
“I really love how engaging the game is and how enthusiastic students are,” Benning said. “The students are highly engaged in the game. They get excited about competition and playing against each other. They choose their own teams and are using analytical skills, too.”
With this combination of educational development and student engagement, it’s no wonder NBA Math Hoops is a popular game for students, including newly-minted champion Elijah Martin.
Congratulations, Elijah and Mrs. Benning! Keep up the great work!
About Pembroke Academy
Pembroke Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Detroit, Michigan, serving students in Young 5s 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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