Impact

Our Impact

At Math Circles of Chicago, we provide free, high-quality math enrichment that reaches thousands of students across the city, reflects Chicago’s diversity, sparks a lifelong love of math, and empowers the teachers who guide them.

Children doing math activities outdoors
Children doing math at a Math Circles of Chicago math festival
Math Circles of Chicago students celebrating at a math festival

We’re the Largest Math Circle in the Nation

In 2024–25, MC2 served 5,589 students, making us the largest math circle in the U.S.—and likely the world.

Our model works because of a highly engaged network of over 100 passionate educators, committed to delivering programming that is second to none.

We remove barriers to participation by:
Reaching students in every corner of Chicago
Creating welcoming classrooms for every child
Keeping programs free or low-cost

Growth Across Every Level

MC2 offers three levels of programming, all of which have grown significantly in the past five years.

Level 1

Math Festivals

Entry points for thousands of students. We went from one annual festival until in 2021-22 to 42 festivals in 2024–25, thanks to the Julia Robinson Math Festival model.
Level 2

Math Circles

Our “bread and butter,” offered at community Hubs and After School Programs in public schools. We’ve reached 1,142 students annually and are on track to double that number in three years
Level 3

Summer Camps & QED

Intensive enrichment through summer camps and our annual youth math symposium, QED. Our festival growth feeds directly into these advanced opportunities.

Diversity by Design

As we’ve grown, we’ve focused intentionally on equity and representation.In just three years:

• Black and Latino participation: 47% → 69%
• Students from majority low-income schools: 37% → 64%
• Girls in our programs: 46%


We strategically add five After School Programs each year—primarily on Chicago’s South and West sides—and opened one major camp site along with four smaller sites in summer 2025.

Bar graph showing rising numbers of black, latino and girl students attending MC2's programs

Student Impact

Our programs work because they inspire. Beyond the numbers, our students share stories of newfound confidence, joy in problem-solving, and a belief that math is for them.

94%

of students are satisfied with their MC2 experience

96%

students say "I got to do math in a way I don't usually get to in school."

71%

now identify as a “math person”

Teacher Impact

More than 100 educators lead MC2 programs—classroom teachers, graduate students, professors, STEM professionals, and high school or undergraduate assistants.We invest deeply in teacher development through workshops, coaching, peer reflection, and community discussions.

89% of our teachers say "Teaching in MC2 has improved my teaching of problem solving and investigatory math in my everyday classroom.

86% of our teachers say "Teaching in MC2 has made me more inclined to continue teaching."

95% teacher satisfaction rate.

Collage of teachers and students enjoying math

Check Out Our 2024 Annual Report

Learn about our expansion and growth over the past year, and our vision for the future.

Math Circles of Chicago 2024 Annual Report

Proven Results

Our mission is simple: Make high-quality, joyful math enrichment accessible to all children in Chicago. We measure success not only by the number of students we reach, but also by who we serve, how engaged they become, and the lasting impact on their education and careers.

14,567

Chicago students have participated in MC2 programs since 2012.

64%

of MC2 students live in underserved communities.

82%

of students say MC2 made them more interested in math.