Illustrative Mathematics® and The Young People’s Project: Growing the Next Generation of Math Leaders

December 2, 2025 — What if students could lead the way in their own math learning? That’s the vision behind the new partnership between Illustrative Mathematics (IM) and The Young People’s Project (YPP). As an IM Certified® partner, YPP will bring its student-led approach to math education to IM classrooms nationwide, training and inspiring the next generation of math leaders.

Founded in 1996 by a group of educators and eight 8th-grade students from Brinkley Middle School in Jackson, Mississippi, YPP has spent more than two decades proving that students themselves can transform how math is taught and learned. Near-peer mentorship is at the heart of the model, where high school and college students — known as Math Literacy Workers (MLWs) — coach, teach, and inspire younger learners, making math engaging, joyful, and meaningful.

YPP’s goal over the next 10 years is to train, employ, and support 1,000 high school students to become MLWs. Great MLWs begin by teaching math to elementary students in their neighborhoods and eventually become engaged citizens, prepared to make a difference in their own lives, in their communities, and across the country.

“Partnering with YPP allows us to bring an innovative, student-led approach to IM classrooms,” said Dr. Kristin Umland, CEO and cofounder of IM. “By empowering Math Literacy Workers, we’re helping students not only succeed in math but also develop leadership skills and confidence that extend far beyond the classroom.”

Through this partnership, IM and YPP are combining high-quality IM curricula with student-led mentorship to bring hands-on, problem-based math learning to life. Together, IM and YPP aim to equip students to build confidence, develop leadership skills, and inspire a love of mathematics — preparing both Math Literacy Workers and the students they teach to make a difference in their communities and beyond.

Learn more about this partnership and IM Certified resources at IM Certified Partners - Illustrative Mathematics K–12 Math.   

 

About Illustrative Mathematics

Illustrative Mathematics is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a world where all learners know, use, and enjoy mathematics. Today, more than three million students nationwide use IM’s high-quality, problem-based curricula. IM also provides professional learning and a community to support all students’ mathematical growth. Learn more at IllustrativeMathematics.org.

About The Young People’s Project (YPP):

Founded in 1996, YPP places students at the center of math education by training high school and college students as Math Literacy Workers. Through near-peer mentorship, MLWs teach, inspire, and lead younger students while developing their own skills as educators, leaders, and engaged citizens. Learn more at typp.org.