Student Profiles

Magnus has been surprised by a lot of things since he arrived at BB&N in kindergarten. Initially, he was surprised by how early he had to get up for school, his first dunk in the basketball hoop, and how friendly everybody was right away.

These days, however, what surprises Magnus most about BB&N is how much fun he has in his classes, particularly math. During today’s unit, he works as a member of his Math Olympics team. His teacher, Carter Donovan, has just handed each team a set of puzzles and problems. Magnus and his group waste no time getting started. His posture is all eagerness, first leaning far over the table on his elbows to share an idea, then shifting to kneel on his stool, a high vantage point needed for the next problem. His teacher asks, “What do you know about diameter and radius?” Without missing a beat Magnus responds, “The radius is half the diameter. So, if the diameter is four, the radius is two.” His teammates confer, agree, and write it down. They are well on their way to solving their way through the range of math challenges in front of them.

Magnus is a boy who is interested in many things. He loves sports, particularly hockey (favorite player is Alexander Ovechkin) and soccer. He plays the flute. And he loves working with technology. As a third grader, he made a PowerPoint about Ghana which he still talks about with pride. Math, though, is the subject in school he most enjoys. And, the Math Olympics is his place to shine. Carter Donovan is right behind him. “She’s really nice,” Magnus explains. “She always teaches us and gives me extra help until it really gets into my brain.”