PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Information
Marissa Wong
Phone: (206) 806-7389
Email: marissawong@deniselouie.org
At Denise Louie Education Center (DLEC), early numeracy is an integral component of the classroom curriculum. With over 70% of the underrepresented population, often those who are immigrants or refugees, DLEC prioritizes teaching math in a way that equity is centered throughout each student’s academic journey, which prompted DLEC’s outreach to deepen its math curriculum. Through a grant from Boeing Global Engagement, DLEC focused on helping children with language and cultural barriers by providing professional development in early math skills and parent engagement through a racial equity lens.
With Boeing’s generosity and belief in equal opportunities, DLEC saw significant improvements among the children, parents and caregivers, and teachers through partnering with Zeno Math. The partnership provided the children of DLEC with a foundation for math comprehension through play and family inclusion in the Fall of 2021 and again in 2022. DLEC teachers gained knowledge in the following topics: Math is Racial Equity, Math is for Everyone, and Math is Art & Movement—each training topic better equipped DLEC teachers to instruct their classrooms utilizing Zeno Math game materials. Teachers introduced Zeno games to the children to interact with in class within a large group, small group, or one-on-one. After participating in the games in the classroom, students received a smaller set to take home, which encouraged family play and interaction.
Generally, when assessed at the beginning of the school year in the Fall, the math domain hit the 50% benchmark, which reflects the comprehension of the populations regularly served by DLEC since many children speak a different language at home. Historically there is a consistent improvement from Fall to Spring in the math category ending at 89%. Through this, kindergarten readiness scores improved. For example, in the Fall of 2021, 52% of preschoolers met or exceeded math expectations. In June 2022, 92% of preschoolers met or exceeded in math Kindergarten readiness after participation in Zeno Math.
“We are impressed – but not surprised – that our partners at DLEC are seeing such a positive impact on students,” said Gina Breukelman with Boeing Global Engagement. “We are grateful for their outreach to improve equity and deepen math comprehension for local students both in the classroom and at home.”
Founded in 1916, Boeing is a leading global aerospace company and is committed to community engagement which involves investing in efforts that build, enhance, and contribute to the communities where Boeing employees live and work. For example, Boeing’s “Our Future: Inspiring Tomorrow’s Innovators” grant allows students of all backgrounds to achieve their full potential by promoting academic success and building career pathways through partnerships with community organizations.
To learn more about Boeing’s community engagement, please visit boeing.com/principles/
Zeno Math was founded in 2003 and envisions a racially just world where every child and family is a doer and lover of math. Partnering with 20 organizations across Seattle, Zeno Math’s mission is to spark joy and inspire a love of math in young children and families through racial equity, family engagement, and play, all centered on the experiences of communities of color.
To learn more about Zeno Math, please visit zenomath.org.
Since 1978, Denise Louie Education Center has served over 15,000 children and continues to empower children and families to reach their full potential so they can advocate for themselves, the community, and the world. As a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization, DLEC provides high-quality early learning, infant and toddler care, preschool, and family support services for vulnerable children and families in King County.
To learn more about Denise Louie Education Center, please visit deniselouie.org.
