Making Math Fun

UNITED WAY OF UTAH COUNTY

Making Math Fun in a Difficult Neighborhood

Richard and Alison Selfridge had just bought a new home, but it wasn’t where they wanted to be. After completing a service mission in Provo, the couple decided they wanted to move somewhere that they could really make a difference. Richard is a retired Electrical Engineering professor at BYU and noticed many of the children in the South Franklin area were struggling with math.

That’s when he decided to get involved.

The Selfridge family packed up their things and moved to the Provo Boulders area to get to know the community and find out how to help. Richard met with United Way of Utah County and was referred to the South Franklin Community Center, a family learning facility located in the Boulders neighborhood. Richard now runs his own math tutoring program at the center, which has left a huge impact on the kids he helps. Two of his students were so excited they increased their state testing math scores after going through his program. To help kids get more excited about math, Richard spends several hundred dollars of his own money on prizes that they can win by solving math problems. We are grateful for the example of the Selfridge family in showing Utah County how to live united.