Bard 2016

Challenge Problem #2: SOLVED!

"I felt happy and excited that I was able to solve it. I learned that things can be easier if you take it slowly and look at all the possibilities instead of limiting the possibilities that you're going to choose from," Mariam revealed, having solved the second challenge problem alongside Milani, who solved the first challenge problem as well. 

Since the BEAMers solved the second challenge problem before Friday evening, as a prize, they will get popcorn with their movie night. The movie to be screened is "Ride Along 2". 

The second challenge problem was: Take the product of ninety-four 9's and ninety-four 4's, and find out the sum of the digits of this number. 

 

Challenge Problem #1 Is Solved!- Wednesday, July 13, 2016

"Afterwards, when we actually solved it [the first challenge problem], it was a good feeling, because we worked really hard on this and we had to do a really difficult explanation that most 7th graders going on to 8th grade can't do," explained Milani excitedly, having solved the first challenge problem alongside Deja the night before. 

"I felt really happy solving the problem, because we finally got Malcolm to stop asking 'why?' and 'how?' and 'what'd you do to get there?', and it felt really nice. It was a happy feeling to get it off of our chest," Deja agreed, ecstatic at the thought of finally having pleased Malcolm, the Site Director at Bard, with their explanation for the first challenge problem. 

The prize for solving the first challenge problem is a movie night for all of the BEAMers. If the students solve the second challenge problem by this Friday, they get popcorn on the movie night, which is to take place this upcoming Saturday.

The first challenge problem was: What number divides evenly into every 4-digit palindrome? Prove it. 

Waking Up At BEAM

On Sunday, the BEAMers had woken up to the hustle and bustle of the city, but this Monday morning, they woke up to the country side’s silence.

After a pleasant walk to the dining hall through the ivy-covered and tree-filled campus, the students had breakfast, boosting their brains for the following Opening Challenge Set, a test designed to measure where the students are at in math. After completing the test, the BEAMers were taken outside, where icebreakers took place, even though the ice had broken a long time ago. Lunch followed, and then the students split up into their respective halls (Hopper, Noether, Ramanujan, and Euler) and received a step-by-step orientation on everything from their daily schedule to how to do laundry. Additionally, each student opened an Art of Problem Solving account as well. The BEAMers were then split up into the activities they had signed up for the night before, these being charades, soccer, a tour of the campus, and Fluxx (a card game). Afterwards, the BEAM instructors gave presentations on the courses they would be teaching this upcoming week, and the students filled out sheets with their preferences regarding the courses.

Later in the evening, while the instructors hid out, huddled together for hours, making sure every student was placed in the appropriate course, the BEAMers enjoyed free time back at the dorms and the basketball court. Hall meetings were held before bed, and the students would wake up tomorrow to their first day of class and to find out what course they’d been assigned to for the upcoming week. What a day for the BEAMers to look forward to.

A BEAMing First Day- Sunday, July 10, 2016

 

New York City stops for no one. Everything is fast paced, rushed, happening in the blink of an eye. However, the city momentarily stood still this morning as this year's students, better known as BEAMers, arrived at Bryant Park, officializing the beginning of the program.

Check-ins, form-filling, lunch runs, math conversations, and friend-making took place as everyday city-life unfolded on the sidelines. Parents, simultaneously happy, nervous, and proud, said their goodbyes, leaving their children to experience an unforgettable math and life experience.

After all the students had arrived to Bryant Park, both BEAMers and staff members made their way towards Bard College, their home and classroom for the next three weeks. The BEAM staff back at Bard, getting everything ready to the minutest detail, excitedly received the BEAM-filled bus, dorm keys in hand, ready to escort the students to their rooms and show them around. The students made personalized door signs for their rooms, settled in and unpacked, and were taken on tours of the campus.

Dinner came next, and the BEAM group sat together at the dining hall, first-day excitement permeating the very air. Opening ceremonies were held, during which the staff members introduced themselves, and students received a brief orientation. Afterwards, everyone headed back to the dorms, and there was free time for the rest of the evening until hall meetings. During hall meetings, counselors had students sign up for the next day's activities, and thoughts on the day's experience were shared.

Everyone fell asleep looking forward to the first sign of daylight, knowing a math-filled and BEAMing day awaited.