USD Magazine Spring 2006

[ P ] I S F O R P R I S O N S

[ M ] I S F O R MAT H

Math strikes fear into roughly half

the population. Assistant math

“If you believe in God’s forgive-

Professor Perla Myers aims to

ness, if one soul can be saved,

show elementary students how it

maybe we’ve done our job.”

can be — gulp — fun. “It helps

That’s John Ferber, director of

them see that math is not some-

commercial real estate for the

thing they should fear,” says Myers,

Burnham-Moores Center for Real

also a volunteer elementary math

Estate, talking about his work

[ N ]

I S F O R N E PA L

teacher. Every semester, Family

with the Kairos Prison Ministry

The Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice has

Math Night gives aspiring teachers

program. At the R.J. Donovan

been working to end the crisis in Nepal since

a chance to experience how

Correctional Facility where he

the institute opened. While grants cover many of the activities, it’s IPJ volun-

great it is to see a kid get a math

works with inmates, most are in

teer interns who compile information for the online Peace and Justice

concept. Math professor Lynn

for life. “They have nothing to

Update on Nepal and other countries in conflict.“They learn a lot about

McGrath and School of Leadership

look forward to except maybe

issues like human rights,”says Dee Aker, IPJ’s deputy director.“Their Web

and Education Sciences professor

the after-life.”The program gives

updates keep USD informed about what’s going on.”The current volunteer

Bobbi Hansen also have gotten

inmates hope, inspiration, love

for Nepal, Andrea Szabolesi, also prepared the briefing book for Aker’s most

their students involved in Family

and forgiveness. Is that hard?

recent trip to Nepal. Go to http://peace.sandiego.edu/programs/nepal.html.

Math Night. Parents have reported

“Yes and no. We’re there mostly

their children were so fired up

to listen. We’re not preaching at

[ O ] I S F O R ON E

afterward, they wanted to do

them,” says Ferber. To learn more

more math. Contact Myers at

about the program, go to

Described as a “diverse coalition of faith-based and anti-poverty

(619) 260-4600, ext. 7932.

ww.kairosprisonministry.org.

organizers,” the ONE campaign was launched by a coalition of activists,

including U2’s Bono, and is endorsed by celebrities ranging from Tom

Hanks to Cameron Diaz in an effort to rally Americans — one by one —

to fight extreme poverty and global AIDS. Currently, students are plan-

ning a “ONE in the Classroom Day” and a possible trip to Washington,

D.C., where a student will have the chance to lobby on behalf of the

ONE campaign. To learn more, go to www.one.org.

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USD MAGAZINE