Jenkins Student's Art to Appear on Textbook Cover

She may be a shy fourth grader, but soon Carolyn Phung’s artwork will be in the bookbags of hundreds of thousands of her peers. The Jenkins Elementary student’s design was chosen to grace the cover of McGraw-Hill’s My Math textbook.

On Wednesday, the school held a celebration in honor of Phung where she received a copy of the cover to hang in her home. The school also will hang a larger poster-sized version in their halls.

The winning piece features ladybugs and butterflies on a bright blue background. But Phung’s design not only displays her artistic skills, but also her math skills because it uses radial symmetry. “Symmetry is where you can fold it only one way to make it equal and radial you can fold it anyway to make it equal,” explained the 9-year-old.

Phung’s was one of 12 pieces of art selected from more than 2,400 pieces submitted by students in grades kindergarten through fifth grade nationwide. Her winning work will also be on display at the Museum of Mathematics when it opens in New York City in 2013.

“We’re just really proud of her,” said Phung’s teacher Nancy Crocker. “We’re always excited when someone’s potential comes to fruition.” Crocker said she opened the contest to all the students in her accelerated FOCUS class and admits there were a number of great pieces that could have been entered.

“Because Carolyn could articulate so well exactly what her design was about and how it was mathematical, I think that’s what propelled her into the winner’s circle,” added Jenkins Principal Dot Schoeller.

“Her artwork was magnificent,” said Brian Gossage, Southeast District Manager for McGraw-Hill of Phung’s design. “The way that she tied it in to a mathematical concept really put her over the top.

Phung’s artwork will appear on the cover of McGraw-Hill’s My Math fourth grade textbook. A short bio about the artist will be featured on the inside cover of the book.

In addition to the cake and copies of the book cover, publisher McGraw-Hill presented Jenkins Elementary with a check for $14,500. Jenkins Schoeller said she already has plans for the money. “We’re definitely buying more math materials because that’s what we’ve designated it for,” said Schoeller. Included on the shopping list are new calculators for the classrooms and a high-tech Promethean board. Schoeller was most excited about the student response system. “When we give quizzes online now, they just push a button, and they don’t have to do it on pencil and paper,” said Schoeller. “We’re definitely investing in the technology for the kids.”