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CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP Santa Ana , Calif .
California Santa Ana Unified School District
Math Proficiency |
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2011 |
Santa Ana Unified elementary schools went from 35 % proficiency in math in 2005 to 67 % in 2011
ENRIQUE GRANADOS
“ Knowing that complete strangers decided to take a chance on me , and gave financial support to help me succeed , just gives me that much more drive .”
ENRIQUE GRANADOS
Enrique Granados was one of the first kids to learn math with JiJi in the early 2000 ’ s . Living in Santa Ana , Calif ., he was raised by working-class parents who emigrated from Mexico . Enrique attended Madison Elementary where MIND Research Institute ’ s ST Math + Music ® , which includes both a research-based music curriculum and the ST Math instructional software , was being piloted . Remembering those early experiences with JiJi he says , “ I felt like I was playing video games . It was very straightforward , you just had to get the penguin across the screen .”
Enrique ’ s academic success didn ’ t stop when he left Madison and JiJi behind . After attending a magnet middle school , he earned a scholarship to a private East Coast boarding school where he excelled in everything from singing in the choir to learning calculus . “ I wish math could always be this visual ,” he says , when playing the new generation of ST Math games . Recently , Enrique was accepted to Georgetown University , where his journey of success continues .