Local kids tackle regional mathematics competition

By Anisa Lancione —

Who would get up early on a Saturday morning to do math?

Our Lady of Lourdes (OLOL) students Goutham Narendiran and Charmaine De Castro will!

The 12-year-old grade 7 student and 13-year old grade 8 student from St. Jamestown attended the Toronto Educators Association for Mathematics (TEAMS) Olympics on March 28. There, they competed against 125 other students from the public and Catholic boards from all over Toronto.

While neither had competed before, they were both excited about the competition. “We’re actually really proud,” said Narendiran, who was selected to compete by his teacher Luca Cocco. De Castro was selected by her teacher, Andrea Rodriguez.

Both students spent the weeks leading up to the competition brushing up on their math. “From percents to integers to geometry and algebra,” De Castro explained before the big day, “the range is pretty big because it is from both grade 7 and grade 8 math. It’ll mostly be what we’ve learned but it will also take some logic to understand.”

Narendiran was one of the first students to sign up for the program. He prepared using exercises and sample work. “I would say that I am strong in everything except for fractions. I like variables the best.”

De Castro “prepared by reviewing the previous work and the notes we had in grade 8 and grade 7 math—and my mom borrowed the SSAT math from the library. I also did sample papers and some trigonometry tests. I also used my sister’s books from high school.” Despite being keen to win, De Castro doesn’t plan to make mathematics her career. “I want to go into the medical field,” she asserts. Narendiran is more likely to use his math later in life: he wants to be an engineer.

Angela McCardy, vice principal at Our Lady of Lourdes, sits on the board of the TEAMS Math Olympics. “I think they are a bit nervous but they are excited,” she said the day before the competition. McHardy also credits principal Jo Nazer with helping to select and prepare the students.

Local students Joey Jang (grade 7) and Ryan Nunes (grade 8) competed on behalf of St. Michael’s Choir School

While the OLOL students did not advance to the Ontario Math Olympics, McHardy reports, “they had fun anyway!” TEAMS takes three teams of four to the Ontario Math Olympics. It will cost $115 plus bus costs. To contribute to the cost: Angela.McHardy@tcdsb.org.