When a principal promises to sleep under the stars, students will move mountains — or solve a million math problems — to make it happen.
At Imagine Coolidge Elementary in Arizona, a lighthearted bet between educators and kids led to a night of rooftop camping, community bonding, and proof that numbers can be downright thrilling. Principal Erik Collins made a deal with his students just before Christmas break: tackle 1,000,000 math problems, and he’d spend a night on the school’s roof. What followed was a math marathon that turned doubters into believers.
Principal Erik Collins with math work. Photo: Imagine Coolidge Elementary/Facebook
“I would do math problems every night and morning,” one student told local reporters. Another admitted they were initially skeptical but watched in awe as completed worksheets piled sky-high. True to his word, Collins climbed onto the rooftop, pajamas and all, after the students smashed their goal. “I’ve loved every minute of it,” Collins said the next morning, grinning from his unusual bed. To commemorate the milestone, he even crafted a unique souvenir — a pillow stuffed with shredded paper. All the math problems that the kids did,” Collins claimed with a laugh in a video shared by the school.
All the math problems that the kids did,” Collins said.
The event became a community affair. As the sun dipped below the horizon, families gathered for cookies and a rooftop bedtime story, with Collins reading aloud from his temporary digs. The crowd then serenaded him with “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” blending giggles and melody under the desert sky. Equipped with a student-donated headlamp, coffee, and a sense of humor, the principal documented his adventure, from midnight reflections to dawn’s first light.
Principal Erik Collins waves down at students. Photo: Imagine Coolidge Elementary/Facebook
“It’s very quiet and calm out here, which is super nice. Can’t complain,” Collins said in a midnight video, before adding, “The only difficulty with sleeping on the roof is all of the air conditioner unit noises going off every now and then.” By morning, Collins — slightly rumpled but triumphant — greeted arriving students from his lofty campsite. The effort wasn’t just about a quirky stunt.
“For them to be so excited about a piece of paper with math problems, and the fact that their principal might have to sleep on the roof? It doesn’t get better than that,” Collins told local reporters. Teachers and parents praised the principal’s dedication, noting how his antics turned arithmetic into anticipation. The challenge not only boosted math fluency but also showed kids the joy of chasing goals — no matter how high those goals might be.
