Innovations in the Arts - Newark Academy

Fabulous Fibs
Mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci lived in Pisa, Italy in the Middle Ages, but his
spirit lives on at Newark Academy. Dressed as his great, great, great, great-granddaughter,
math teacher Cathy Pursell introduced Fibonacci to the NA community
by announcing the second annual Fibs Poetry Contest. Modeled on the mathematical
Fibonacci sequence, where the sum of the previous two numbers is the next number
in the series, Fibs poems are based on a specific number of syllables per line.
“Fibs poems are a neat way to bring math and writing together,” explained Pursell,
who approached English teacher Betsy Barbato to help run the contest. “We’ve been
thrilled with the number of entries from students and adults at NA.”
This year’s contest theme, “Water,” is in keeping with the school’s year-long focus.
Prizes were awarded to the Fibs poem that best represented the theme, as well as
to the “Most Literary,” “Most Mathematical,” and “Best Overall.” Pursell and Barbato
and their committee received more than 100 submissions from students and adult
members of the NA community. “NA shows its true colors with this contest,” says
Barbato. “As a community, we value wit, an awareness of the connections
between disciplines, and the importance of not taking ourselves too seriously.
This lighthearted poetry contest fits each of those categories.”
Winners were announced at morning meeting, and each winning entry was
read aloud to the entire Newark Academy community. While Starbucks
gift cards were awarded, bragging rights as “FIBber of the Year” are the
real prizes for the number-inspired poets.
Sample Fibs poem:
The syllables per line are:
1
1
2
3
5
8
My
Fibs
Poem
Links math and
English and water
By making bridges with my words.
NA NEWS spring 2008
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