By SOPHFRONIA SCOTT/Reported by Elizabeth Rudulph

Math isn't just for nerds anymore. Now it involves the latest rockets, the hardest biceps and the coolest skateboards. With that philosophy and a little TV, JAIME ESCALANTE is trying to show kids the worldly side of mathematics. The calculus teacher depicted in the 1988 film Stand and Deliver is host of Futures, a 12-part PBS math series that aims to turn his charisma into motivation for all students. He'll have help from the likes of ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, who discusses the use of statistics in physical fitness, and other role models who tell how they use math in their jobs. Says Escalante: "Most kids don't see the relationship between what they learn in a math class and what they will be doing in life."