ACES

Everyone deserves access to transformative education. 

Accessible, high-quality math education is essential for a life well lived. Numeracy skills and math mindsets help us with all kinds of problem solving from converting a recipe to making savvy financial decisions. Math reasoning helps us to interpret medical data, to protect ourselves from scams, and to take strategic risks. 

But many of our Minnesota students are not meeting grade-level proficiency in mathematics. 

According to data from the Minnesota Department of Education, only 2 out of every 5 8th grade students in Minnesota is grade level proficient.  When this data is disaggregated, the opportunity gaps become stark: 

• 21% of 8th grade students from lower income backgrounds are grade level proficient.
• 20% of Black 8th grade students are grade level proficient.
• 19% of Hispanic 8th grade students are grade level proficient.
• 8% of English Language Learning 8th grade students are grade level proficient.

This is where ACES steps up to the plate.  

ACES uses hands-on, sports-themed curriculum to build foundational math and social-emotional skills in safe, supportive out-of-school-time environments. Your donation helps us break down barriers and keep ACES programming 100% free-of-charge for all young people who participate. Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a significant impact and gets us closer to our $20,000 goal!

This Give to the Max Day, join in empowering and expanding opportunities for the next generation. 
Donate now to join the team and change the game!

How ACES Works

At ACES, we believe that all young people deserve to feel confident academically. Math skills help us understand our world and make important decisions every day. And math education unlocks our future potential.  

ACES’s unique approach includes small group sessions, one-on-one mentorship, and one-of-a-kind field trip opportunities that connect classroom learning to real world problem solving. 

ACES starts with math because grade level math mastery in 8th grade is a strong predictor of future academic success, including high school graduation, college enrollment, college degree attainment, and career readiness. ACES blends math with social emotional learning because social emotional learning combined with math education returns powerful results! 

ACES teaches math and SEL all through the lens of sports because sports feature both domestic and international diversity in a positive light. All of our youth can find representative role models in sports today. Sports also feature many of the same social and emotional skills we work to develop in ACES such as confidence, persistence, teamwork, and resilience. And sports provide a relatable context for absorbing new math concepts and many opportunities for learning a variety of academic skills. 

ACES partners with communities to engage, inspire, and empower youth to thrive. Since 1994, we have served more than 10,000 young people across the Twin Cities, opening doors to new opportunities and bringing learning to life. Through consistent out-of-school-time programming, ACES supports youth as they navigate the pivotal 4th-8th grade years, helping them strengthen math skills and build social-emotional competencies like confidence, teamwork, and perseverance.