March 30, 2025
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Math plus basketball

St. Anne’s Math Madness event adds to school pride

By Tiffany Blanchette
St. Anne Grade School students cheer for St. Anne High School basketball players during the district's Math Madness held on March 20 at the high school.

St. Anne Grade School students cheer for St. Anne High School basketball players during the district's Math Madness held on March 20 at the high school. (Tiffany Blanchette)

There cannot be basketball without math.

Inspired by this fact, the St. Anne School District helped students flex their minds and their muscles this past week with the return of its Math Madness event.

The arithmetic-themed activity, held in conjunction with the start of college basketball’s March Madness Tournament, kicked off with the high school boys basketball team playing a scrimmage on Thursday afternoon in the Cardinals’ gymnasium.

Equipped with worksheets and pencils, the third- through fifth-grade students from St. Anne Grade School, joined by third and fifth grade students from Lorenzo R. Smith Grade School, watched the game unfold.

St. Anne High School basketball player Jaquorri Wyatt interacts with grade school students during the district's Math Madness held on March 20 at the high school.

St. Anne High School basketball player Jaquorri Wyatt interacts with grade school students during the district's Math Madness held on March 20 at the high school. (Tiffany Blanchette)

Between cheers and high fives, the young students were tasked with keeping track of the score in each quarter, including how many free throws, 2-point and 3-point shots occurred.

While some may have been more excited to watch senior Chris Link showcase slam dunks, the high school athletes then gathered with groups of grade schoolers after the game to help them finish their worksheets and take some game-related measurements - such as the wingspan of their mentoring player.

Grade school students measure the wingspan of St. Anne High School basketball player Deion Fifer as part of their math worksheet during the district's Math Madness held on March 20 at the high school.

Grade school students measure the wingspan of St. Anne High School basketball player Deion Fifer as part of their math worksheet during the district's Math Madness held on March 20 at the high school. (Tiffany Blanchette)

“The kids have fun watching them, and then they do some math and they don’t complain about it,” St. Anne math teacher Kelly Dunnill said.

Dunnill said the event serves as one of many opportunities to bring the two schools together in the district, which recently consolidated its high school and grade school districts for the 2024-25 school year.

St. Anne High School Principal Ben O’Brien said the consolidation not only has increased positive interactions between the upper and lower grades, but also has generated a “significant increase in community pride.”

“One of the goals of the consolidation that I think we are seeing achieved is kids from the grade school being excited about coming to the high school,” O’Brien said.

St. Anne High School basketball player Davion Wynne helps grade school students complete their worksheets during the district's Math Madness held on March 20 at the high school.

St. Anne High School basketball player Davion Wynne helps grade school students complete their worksheets during the district's Math Madness held on March 20 at the high school. (Tiffany Blanchette)

O’Brien said opportunities such as Math Madness for high school and grade school kids to work together create a positive “domino effect” toward increasing student engagement.

“Just that generalized connection between the kids builds not only a sense of pride, but I think for kids coming through the schools, it builds a sense of ownership, a sense of loyalty, a sense of pride and commitment to their schools,” he said.

That excitement was very audible on Thursday as students both tall and small shared in the bonding experience on Jack Sikma Court.

“The driving force here behind everything we do is to provide opportunities for kids,” said Superintendent Charles Stegall of the consolidation. “K-12, we are unified in what we are doing, and honestly, we are proud of it.”

Stephanie Markham contributed to this story.