16-year-old Amit Kalra has attracted the attention of both the media and Apple for channeling his desire to expedite the tedious process of doing math homework by creating a one-of-a-kind app.

With no previous coding experience, Kalra is an example of how high motivation can turn any determined student into an app-creating wiz.

According to Business Insider, Kalra began creating the app 6284 Calc in May 2015.

With no previous experience in the subject except for his love for gaming, Kalra taught himself how to code through the use of an e-book and some experimentation and the rest is history.

The app is every teacher’s worst nightmare, as it is "specifically made to take the guesswork out of algebra, geometry, calculus, and other subjects, by allowing users to input the values into the given formula, letting the app do the rest,” says Business Insider.

Still, Kalra’s efforts prove that where there is a will there is a way. Read more about this computer science success story here.

Netflix and Girl Scouts Partner to Get Kids into STEM

What do Netflix and Girl Scouts have in common? They both want to get more kids interested in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math subjects—and are now partnering to do just that.

Netflix has launched STEM Superstars Guide, a resource designed for troop leaders to find new ways to inspire their scouts to pursue STEM.

The resource provides ways to make STEM matter for girls, highlights the existing STEM programs Girl Scouts have made available for scouts, and describes how Netflix’s original series Project Mc² empowers girls to celebrate their unique STEM skills.

"By showing girls how STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) subjects are woven throughout their everyday lives, this new guide, Helping Girls Become STEM Superstars, gives Girl Scout volunteers and parents tools to keep girls' passions and curiosity for STEM subjects alive,” said Girl Scouts’ website.

Check out the resource for yourself here.

Combining STEM and Environmental Awareness

Discovery Education in partnership with Novelis is helping students learn STEM concepts while also helping them learn about another important topic—environmental awareness.

Through www.lifeofacan.com, teachers and parents can provide their students and children with resources that are designed to inspire them to be life-long recyclers with the STEM-reasoning to explain why it's important.

Read more here.

California Officials Have Two Years to Design a Plan to Implement Computer Science for All

In just two years, California officials will have a plan to offer computer science education in all of its public schools, meaning the state is on its way to being the first to offer computer science training to all students.

New York City is the largest school district to take on such an endeavor, hoping to offer computer science to all 1 million plus students by 2025, but California will be reaching more than 6 million students by the time of completion. Experts estimate that these efforts will lead to thousands of students entering the field after graduation.

Read more here.

Bust These Math Myths for Student Success Early On

La Petite Academy offered this week some insight into how to avoid perpetuating math myths that dissuade students from being interested in the subject.

Such myths include letting students believe math skills are genetic rather than learned and by restricting preschool math to just memorization to name a few.

Read the full article.

Nicole Gorman, Senior Education World Contributor

10/6/2016