Church Street School annual math competition adds up to excitement

At Church Street School on Thursday, the excitement added up quickly — and for fourth-grader Ema Zdravkovic, the victory was the perfect equation for an unforgettable year.

Fresh off winning the school spelling bee in January, Ema multiplied her list of accomplishments by capturing the top prize in the school’s annual math competition, which was held in the auditorium with family members cheering.

Using the Kahoot! learning platform, students in grades 3 through 5 competed in fast-paced elimination rounds that tested the math skills they have developed throughout the school year. 

The third- and fifth-grade winners – who competed later in the day in separate contests – were Aarya Ghatalia and Eira Gupte, respectively.

As each question appeared on the large screen, the young mathematicians raced to submit answers, with incorrect responses leading to elimination until only one contestant remained.

Some crossed their fingers anxiously while waiting to see whether the answers they entered were correct.

“The questions are age-appropriate on grade level,” math specialist Patricia Della Penna explained before the competition began. “It’s everything they’ve learned in class.”

All participants received commemorative T-shirts and certificates recognizing their efforts, while winners also earned medals.

For Ema, the road to victory was filled with nerves as the competition narrowed.

“I feel super proud, considering I already won the spelling bee and now the math competition,” she said afterward as she sought to compute her accomplishment. “Math is my favorite subject.”

She admitted the final rounds became especially intense when she realized she would be facing last year’s champion, Sam Riegelhaupt, in the deciding showdown.

“I love the competition itself, but I was nervous because Sam, the guy who got second place, he won last year!” Ema said. “When I realized I was in the finals with him, I got nervous because I thought, like, I have no chance against him.”

But when the final problem appeared — “Mary swam ¾ mile each day for 8 days. How many miles did she swim?” — Ema solved it correctly to secure the championship medal.

Throughout the event, students cheered enthusiastically for their classmates as they survived round after round. 

At the conclusion, Principal Myra Castillo and Assistant Principal Meredith Lee presented certificates to all of the contestants, recognizing the hard work, perseverance and school spirit displayed throughout the event.