By Business & Finance 
Pictured (L-R): Catie Davies (St Raphaela’s NS, Stillorgan), Trixia Pandac and Daniel Frosi (St Joseph’s NS, Dun Laoghaire) and Aisling Mellon-Whelan (St Raphaela’s NS, Stillorgan)
Microsoft hosted an event today entitled ‘Make Maths Matter’ at its Sandyford headquarters, a programme aimed at fifth and sixth class students.
Make Maths Matter is a programme designed by Junior Achievement Ireland. The sessions see students get involved with a series of games and modules promoting math skills as a discipline, by showcasing through games that maths is all around us in everyday life, and is relevant.
Working with Junior Achievement Ireland to deliver the sessions, 75 Microsoft employees reached out to 500 primary school students.
This year Microsoft is celebrating 30 years in Ireland. Employees wanted to undertake a volunteering initiative to mark this significant milestone. They chose Junior Achievement, a long-term partner of Microsoft to work with and deliver the Make Maths Matter programme to a large number of students across Dublin.
Speaking about Microsoft’s support of Make Maths Matter, Ken Hickey, Microsoft Ireland said: “Microsoft is always looking at ways at which we can inspire students to learn in new ways and to further their interest in the STEM subjects. Junior Achievement’s Make Maths Matter programme breaks down the barriers that historically have prevented students from excelling in mathematics. For instance, one module see students take a virtual tour of Ireland and measure the distance in kilometres between various towns and cities on a road map – so maths becomes less abstract and participants can clearly visualise what numbers represent. Our employees have taken the course and delivered it to students today both here in Microsoft and in local Dublin schools – and all involved are learning and having fun.”
Ann Butler, Operations director, Junior Achievement Ireland said: “Make Maths Matter has been a programme we are very passionate about in Junior Achievement. To date, the programme has been a great success with many teachers adapting some of the course in their own maths teachings. We were delighted to have the support of Microsoft to deliver this programme to more schools and students in Dublin than we have ever reached before.”
Schools which benefitted from Make Maths Matter through Microsoft today include St Kevin’s Sallynoggin, St Raphaela’s Stillorgan, Queen of Angels Ballaly, St Joseph’s Dun Laoghaire, St Attracta’s Ballinteer, St Laurence’s Stillorgan, Holy Cross Dundrum, and Guardian Angels Blackrock.
