When you hear the name Newton and math together, you probably think of Sir Isaac. At IMACS we think of Paula Newton and her family whose mathematical talents have flourished for three generations. Their story begins in the 1960s when Paula was a gifted math student at Nova High School under the tutelage of IMACS co-founder Burt Kaufman. Charged with the task of creating a better math curriculum for bright children, Kaufman would use this platform to lead the development of an innovative, logic-based approach that remains the foundation for IMACS to this day. With her grandchildren now thriving in our live, online classes, Paula wrote to us with the following testimonial.
We are a third generation IMACS family and believe strongly in this program. The IMACS curriculum enhanced in each of us the ability to problem-solve and think logically. My husband and I are grateful that our children had the opportunity to experience a different type of enrichment beyond sports, and now our grandkids love it too. IMACS pioneered rigorous computer programming classes for kids that were not available anywhere else that we knew of in the 90’s. With this foundation, two of my children went on to study Computer Science in college with one earning a PhD from MIT while the other became a software engineer.
The IMACS approach has benefited me and my family for nearly 60 years thanks to the unique curriculum and teaching techniques developed by my high school math teacher and IMACS co-founder, Burt Kaufman. Collaborative problem solving was unheard of in math classes back then, but Mr. Kaufman encouraged us to work together and expected excellence because he knew we were capable. He would be amazed that what he started is now available everywhere through the internet.
The name of the program may have changed throughout the years—just “gifted math” for me, MEGSSS for my eldest child, and IMACS for my younger kids and grandkids—but the dedication to supporting math talent and preparing students to be formidable thinkers and problem solvers has remained constant and true. That is why my husband and I highly recommend IMACS to any parent who wants their child to succeed in school and beyond.
Paula Newton
IMACS Alumna, Parent, and Grandparent
Click here to see this testimonial, along with many others from our students, parents, and grandparents.