Students get active in annual Math Olympics

By Travis Perry

Special to The Capital-Journal

It might have lacked the same scale as the Beijing Games, but Topeka Collegiate School managed to generate plenty of excitement for its annual Math Olympics.

After anticipation was built among the young "mathletes" for two weeks, students released their exuberance Friday with the start of an event aimed at exciting students about learning and applying mathematics. Amid a flurry of waving flags, joyous cheers and chants, students representing countries from China to Australia helped start the event with their own version of the parade of nations.

Proudly carrying the flag of Great Britain in the parade, first-graders Ethan Armbruster and Irene Caracioni were two of the lucky students chosen to lead their class. Each classroom represented a specific country, and students rotated between the nations throughout the afternoon, making sure to stamp their "passports" along the way.

"It's just another fun way to learn," said Danielle Huckins, Topeka Collegiate health services director and the event's honorary paper torch bearer.

Huckins said the excitement level was so high she had sick students in her office Thursday worrying they wouldn't be able to participate in the activities the next day.

Fourth-grade teacher Jewelia Oswald was the master of ceremonies behind the event, helping to coordinate activities surrounding the Math Olympics. Oswald said the spirit behind the event is to teach students the value of friendship, excellence and respect — not dissimilar from the Olympic Games.

From dice games to foot races, every activity involved some form of mathematics.

Nick Ginapp, physical education teacher, helped students flex their mental and physical muscles by creating a game where students ran to collect different athletic balls, each designated a specific value, to reach a particular total.

"At this school academics are very important," Ginad said. "It's a way to be active while at the same time incorporating academics."

Carl Tillona, assistant head of school, said another idea behind the Math Olympics is to help teach students about math and culture at the same time.

"It's interesting to me that the kids can cover these two separate topics and meld them into one," he said. "It's pretty cool."