Fifth Annual Ed-Gaming Competition Supports Mathematics Education for Hawai’i Elementary and Middle School Students

Honolulu, HI -- (ReleaseWire) -- 03/08/2018 --Twenty-three elementary and middle school teams from four Hawaii Department of Education Complex Areas on O'ahu competed in the DimensionU, Inc. 2018 Hawaii Math Games Competition, held Friday, February 23, 2018 at the University of Hawai'i-West O'ahu.

Through a collaborative effort with the University of Hawai;i-West O'ahu GEAR UP Program and 21st Century Community Learning Centers, student teams went head-to-head in competition using the DimensionU Multiplayer Gaming platform that combines the challenge of first person, multiplayer video gaming with the rigor of mathematics.

"It was an honor to have our 5th annual competition open with a Mele Honouliuli and words of wisdom from UH-West O'ahu Vice Chancellor of Academics Jeff Moniz," said DimensionU CEO Steven Hoy. "Each year this event gets more and more exciting, and offers a way to reward students and thank teachers for their hard work."

"The University of Hawai`i-West O`ahu (UHWO) GEAR UP program is honored to have DimensionU as a GEAR UP partner," said project director Jean Javellana. "Over the past 5 years, we have been successful in partnering with DimensionU to engage and motivate students to stay ahead of the game, increasing fluency and accuracy in math while making math learning fun and engaging."

This year's Math Games Tournament participants included the Class of 2023 GEAR UP students who are currently in 7th grade attending Nanakuli High and Intermediate School and Waianae Intermediate School.

"We are very proud of our GEAR UP students," Javellana said. "They performed extremely well and embraced the opportunity to positively challenge their math algebra skills while getting excited about learning. Both schools were well represented at the tournament."

Winning teams for the Elementary Division were: 1st Place – August Ahrens Elementary, 2nd Place – Makakilo Elementary, and 3rd Place – Honowai Elementary. Winning teams for the Intermediate Division were: 1st Place - Waianae Intermediate School (Team 1), 2nd Place - Nanakuli Intermediate School (Team 1), and 3rd Place- Waianae Intermediate School (Team 3). All first-place winning team members each received a brand new RVCA backpack. The top three teams in all divisions were also awarded medals and all participants from the day's event received an official 2018 DimensionU Hawai'i Math Games t-shirt.

As an added moment of excitement, teacher chaperones participated in a gaming competition just for educators, surrounded by the support and assistance of their students. Congratulations to Ariel Maeda, a teacher from August Ahrens Elementary School who took 1st Place in the event. Photos of the entire event can be found on the DimensionU Facebook page at http://bit.ly/HawaiiDU18.

The event kicked off with a Mele Honouliuli from the UHWO Pueo Sholars Program, followed by the Campbell High School Color Guard processional and opening remarks by UH West O'ahu Vice Chancellor of Academics, Jeffrey Moniz. Papa John's Pizza from the Leeward Coast was the official lunch sponsor, providing pizza for the 200+ attendees.

About DimensionU
DimensionU, Inc. is an award-winning educational software company that creates highly engaging multi-player video games for elementary, middle, and high school students. The games can be integrated into classroom instruction or played at home, and students, teachers, and parents all love the games. Learn more at http://www.dimensionu.com.

About the University of Hawai`i – West O'ahu
Established in 1976, the University of Hawai'i - West O`ahu is an indigenous-serving institution that offers quality education, small class sizes, and personalized attention. UH West O`ahu has the newest bachelors degree-granting campus in the University of Hawai`i System, serving nearly 3,000 students with academic programs that emphasize interdisciplinary and cross-cultural studies.

For more information, visit http://www.uhwo.hawaii.edu, call 808-689-2800 or toll-free 866-299-8656.

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Contact: Veronica Delbrugge, DimensionU, Inc.
PR@dimensionU.com

Contact: Leila Wai Shimokawa, UH West O'ahu
lwai@hawaii.edu