SAN ANTONIO – A fifth-grade student at Bonham Academy in the San Antonio Independent School District was selected to compete in the 2024 NBA Math Hoops Global Championship taking place next week, the San Antonio Spurs announced.
Camila Ramirez, along with her family, will now have the opportunity to explore New York City as she competes in the competition, which will take place June 25-28 during the 2024 NBA Draft week.
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“We know math proficiency is directly linked to high school graduation rates and future career success,” said Dr. Kara Allen, Chief People, Impact and Belonging Officer for Spurs Sports & Entertainment. “Camila’s brilliant math skills and dedication to the program make her the perfect ambassador for Spurs Math Hoops and our mission to cultivate a love of learning through sports.”
Throughout the year, Ramirez competed in the local Spurs Math Hoops program, presented by Whataburger, and was chosen after playing a minimum of 25 NBA Math Hoops games while completing 10 curriculum units and submitting a video application.
The NBA Math Hoops program targets students in grades 4-8 who have historically been underrepresented in STEM fields, including girls, students of color, and students from low-income communities. The game features fundamental math and social-emotional learning through a basketball-themed board game, that is played in both physical and digital forms by using the real-life performance statistics and identities of NBA and WNBA players, a press release said.
This year’s Global Championship is co-hosted by Learn Fresh and NBA Cares. Learn Fresh, a nonprofit organization that hosts the NBA Math Hoops program across the country, led the process of electing this year’s national representatives.
“We’re proud to have Camila attend the Global Championship from the Spurs Math Hoops program, which has emerged as one of the most exciting NBA Math Hoops regional programs in just the second year of implementation,” said Nick Monzi, CEO and Co-Founder at Learn Fresh. “This is all thanks to the dedication of the Spurs, Whataburger, TX Ace and our group of outstanding San Antonio educators.”
Students participating will attend the NBA Draft at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Wednesday, June 26 as part of the all-expenses-paid trip.