Statistician Volunteers Lessons on Math—and a Career Choice—to D.C. Kids

July 27, 2010 

Retired statistician Eva Jacobs uses her skills to demonstrate to sixth graders at a Washington, D.C., charter school that what they learn about probability applies to life—and that there's a career in mathematics. 

After retiring from a career with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Jacobs has been volunteering with Retired Scientists, Engineers, and Technicians (ReSet) for the past ten years. ReSet is a D.C. nonprofit organization that partners working and retired scientists with elementary school teachers to improve science motivation and literacy. 

Jacobs' work with the nonprofit is profiled in the July 16, 2010, issue of Science. At the Shaw campus of the Center City Public Charter Schools, she presented an hour-long lesson on probability.   

In addition to having a better understanding of probability, Jacobs said she would like the students to know that being a statistician is a wonderful career. 

"These kids may have met lawyers and preachers and teachers, but they don't know what a scientist does." 

Source: Science (July 16, 2010)