Students at a public school in Nilópolis, in the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area, took the top three places at the 12th International Mathematical Olympiad in China.
And it wasn’t the first time they reached the final of the dispute. In 2019 they took third place and even won a plaque of merit for their good performance in the contest.
The group of students takes part in a project by Professor Fernando Rocha, who has been promoting the love of mathematics at the Colégio Estadual Marechal Zenóbio da Costa for five years. He even donated a notebook of his for one of the most outstanding students to study with.
the commitment of everyone
The teacher meets with the students after school, during breaks and even on weekends to study math for the Olympics.
The commitment and commitment of all students have already led to participation in several competitions and awards.
No internet or computers
One of the most outstanding students is Vitória Camilly Rodrigues, 18 years old. She is in her third year and brought the gold medal at the Mathematical Olympiad from China.
Camilly has always been the school’s great promise and needed a lot of help from Professor Fernando not to give up.
During the pandemic, she had to interrupt classes. Her mother had lost her job and couldn’t afford to pay for the internet or buy a computer or cell phone.
It was Teacher’s help that made the return possible. Fernando donated a notebook that belonged to him and his classmates mobilized to pay for the internet.
For Camilly, participating in these competitions is very important as it is a way of fighting for a better future.
She has a great reason to keep learning and to do her best. “I want a better future for myself and I want to give my mother a better life. And I know that I can do it,” explains the student.
Silver and bronze medals also come from Brazilians
In addition to Camilly, three other students of Professor Fernando were victorious at the international mathematics Olympiad. They secured second and third place.
Nicolas Fonseca accepted the silver and says mathematics is his great passion. “I look at math and the harder it is, the more interesting it is.”
Next to him, sisters Lorena and Letícia Guimarães won the bronze medal. For both, these victories are a tribute to public schools.
“I am very proud to know that I can go anywhere with my knowledge and to know that my effort is worthwhile and that the Brazilian public education system is internationally accepted,” says Lorena happily.
new disputes
After the China competition, the students received an invitation to a new competition, this time in London. They are already preparing and want to come out on top again.
The medals also help the four students win university places.
Camilly is already preparing to apply to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to study astrophysics.
And cheers to Professor Fernando, right?
Vitória Camilly wants to go to MIT next year photo: personal archive