Our seventh grade math teams were awarded second place in their division and first place overall in the 48th annual Brother Edward Martin Math Contest, competing against 165 students from 18 different schools.

Our team of two seventh grade students participating in the SIFMA Foundation's Stock Market Game placed first in the regional competition of middle school students, competing against more than 200 teams and outperforming the S&P index.

The Mathematical Olympiads provide challenging, thought-provoking problems that stretch the abilities of students, strengthening their foundation for advanced studies. This 25-question contest is administered as five questions a month over five months and has nearly 160,000 participants worldwide! Five sixth grade students were awarded silver pins for scoring among the top 10%, and five fifth and sixth graders were recognized for scoring in the top 20% in the Mathematical Olympiads in the Elementary Division. Additionally, two eighth grade students were recognized for scoring in the top 25% of the Middle School Division. 

A sixth grader achieved an Honorable Mention in the National French Contest, ranked against 3,104 students competing in Elementary Division. Three eighth grade students participating at the Level 1 High School Division against 17,200 students nationwide received Honorable Mentions, and an eighth grade student won a silver medal for achieving a 5th place national ranking.

The National Spanish Examination is a contest to recognize student achievement and proficiency in the study of Spanish. Three seventh grade students received Honorable Mentions, one earned a bronze medal, and one student ranked in the top 10% earning a silver medal. Participating in the High School Division, six eighth graders received Honorable Mentions, one received a bronze medal, and two students ranked in the top 10% earning silver medals.

Five students participated in the Erie County Music Educators Association Solo Festival and all scored between 98 and a perfect 100. As a result of their hard work, three students were selected to participate in an All-County Ensemble this March. Additionally, four students were selected to participate in the Buffalo Niagara Youth Chorus.

Congratulations to all our students on these achievements!

Led by Upper School math teacher Claire Barry, sixth grade teams participating in the SIFMA Foundation's Stock Market Game placed second and third in the fall regional competition of middle school students. The Stock Market Game is an online simulation of the global capital markets that engages students in the world of economics, investing, and personal finance.

For the game, students make hypothetical investments totaling $100,000 in real stocks over a 10-week period. Successful teams must work together to make financial decisions, learn how to read and interpret statistics, and monitor the performance of their portfolios. The top three money-making teams are awarded medals.

Elmwood Franklin sixth graders Ian, Petros, and Bryan placed second, finishing with a final equity of $116,567.29, and Katherine and Ella placed third, finishing with a final equity of $115,794.89—both teams outperforming the S&P! Our students also placed sixth, seventh, and eighth out of 152 teams in their division.

Ian, Petros, and Bryan noted that one of the best experiences of playing the game was researching stocks and identifying trends. The students took a big chance investing in Buffalo Wild Wings (BWLD). They said they had a hunch it was going to grow, and it did! By the time they were ready to sell, BWLD increased from $104 to $150 a share and their investment paid off! In the end, the students earned $16,567 dollars in a little over two months. Although, Ian reflected on their experience, “[I would] probably not be as successful with real money, because I would be too nervous!”

“The Stock Market Game helps my students build a fundamental understanding of investing through real-world math and economics,” shared Mrs. Barry. “Students need to work together to build and manage a hypothetical investment portfolio based on actual, dynamic markets. They analyze and make decisions, explore the consequences of their choices, and seek new ways to strategize for success. It is an engaging way to develop critical problem-solving and money-management skills that will benefit them now and in the future—and they have so much fun playing!”

Today, seventh grade art students led fourth graders on a tour of the Burchfield Penney Art Center. Our nationally recognized Junior Docent Program, spearheaded by art teacher Amy Hartman, brings EFS seventh graders into the Burchfield Penney to train and serve as skilled tour guides. Now in its seventh year, this partnership provides EFS seventh graders special training on the gallery’s mission, history, and collections, as well as how to research, interpret, and lead discourse about works of art.
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More than 140 seventh grade students have been trained as junior docents over the past seven years. Amy Hartman reflects on the program’s success, “Facilitating dialogue about a work of art requires these students to develop questions which engage both themselves and the tour participants in meaning making. Learning to ask big questions and engage in communication across generations builds life skills. The relationships built over multiple visits greatly impacts everyone involved in this wonderful program."

The University at Buffalo Confucius Institute recognized EFS seventh grader Morgan Shaver for excellence in Chinese language learning during the 2017 Chinese New Year Celebration at UB. She was among thirteen local students who received awards from the Confucius Institute. Following the ceremony, Morgan and her family joined the audience of about 1,500 for a colorful program of traditional and contemporary performances to celebrate the Chinese Year of the Rooster, including a performance by Elmwood Franklin’s Mandarin teacher Mrs. Wei (Shirley) Huang, who played the ehru, a traditional Chinese two-stringed instrument.