Ready, Set, Solve: Kells Math Competition Club Preps for Success

It takes drive and dedication to master a challenging concept, especially if you’re a grade 7 student practicing complex Math problems during your lunch break. For Kevin, a grade 7 student and member of the Math Competition Club at Kells, the extra effort is worth it. It’s his first year in Math Competition Club and he’s preparing to write the challenging Lagrange Contest in April.  “Math is an intimidating subject, but I want to be the best of the best. And even if I’m not yet, I know I’m getting better.” 

This is the kind of winning attitude that has garnered similarly dedicated Kells students medals and accolades in many national and international Math competitions over the years. In 2024 alone, Kells students placed first among eleven teams from Montreal in the University of Waterloo Math Competition, one Kells team received a perfect score in the Relay event, nine students were shortlisted for the Honour Roll in the Pythagoras, Newton, and Lagrange contests, and one student earned a Certificate of Distinction in the Euclid Math Competition, placing him in the top 25% of participants nationwide.

That student is Ribal, currently in seventh grade at Kells. He has been part of the Math Competition Club for several years at Kells Elementary. Ribal shares that he was doing grade 7-level Math in first grade, an astounding feat. Ms. Ungureanu, our Math specialist who has been working with Ribal for years, proudly nods in agreement. Ribal’s fascination with Math began with watching Youtube videos in first grade. He soon discovered he needed more challenge, and joining the Competition Club allows him to keep challenging himself by working beyond his grade level. 

Ribal, on the left, won many honours through his involvement in Math Enrichment programming at Kells Elementary.

Many of the students who participate in Math Competition Club at Kells are encouraged to join by their teachers, who notice that they need enrichment beyond the regular Math curriculum. This was the case for Leah, who notes that the club has helped her practice and become more confident in her Math skills. When asked if practicing in Math Competition Club helps them to succeed in their regular Math classes, the students responded with a resounding and enthusiastic “yes.”

In fact, the atmosphere in this classroom is very enthusiastic and lively, not necessarily what you’d expect from a lunchtime Math Club. The students are encouraged to discuss and share their approach to each question. As they take up the problems on the board, Ms. Ungureanu stops to discuss each step, allowing the students to ask for clarification or share their own thought process. The small class size allows each student to speak their mind and feel like they contributed something valuable on the way to finding the solution.

The conversation doesn’t end when they find the right answer, though. Ms. Ungureanu challenges the students to find more than one way to solve each problem. She notes that “mathematicians are lazy.” The students giggle in response. She means that they find every opportunity to simplify and streamline a problem.

One of the most satisfying things about Math, according to grade 7 Jun, is that “there is an absolute, right answer. Unlike in English class where many answers can be right, in Math, you know for sure.” There are nods of agreement from the rest of the class, but they also understand the power of a wrong answer. Ms. Ungureanu constantly encourages the students to share where they went wrong when approaching a problem because it offers everyone in the group the chance to see a different perspective and learn new strategies. 

Jun’s excitement is apparent when he figures out the solution to a difficult problem - the “a-ha moment!”

The students also learn about good test-taking strategies, as these tests are timed and every minute counts. Jun wrote the Canadian Math Society’s Canada Jay Competition in November. His strategy was to work through each problem as efficiently as possible, like a first draft, leaving time at the end to check his work. He says that the time limit was a challenge because usually, he takes his time working through every problem, but he’s still quietly confident that he did well.

As they prepare for April, their Math skills will improve, but that’s not the only goal. Ms. Ungureanu tells the students that originality is one of the most important qualities she’s looking for. Finding an original approach to a problem is a tall order, but she knows these students are up to the task. She also sees Math competitions as a unique opportunity for them to find out how they compare to kids their age across the country. The competition is stiff, and often that’s the push a student needs to surprise even themselves and truly excel.

Ms. Ungureanu demonstrates different methods for arriving at the same solution, challenging the students to find their own original methods.

Even though these are grade sevens, Ms. Ungureanu feels that they are ready for the Grade 8 Lagrange Contest, which is one of the many contests prepared by Mathematica Centrum each year. Since 1990, more than 1 000 000 students in Canada and the United States have participated in their contests. The questions are complex and advanced; they’re designed to truly challenge top Math students across the country. Mastering these questions demands outside of the box thinking, tenacity, and a great deal of patience. These are skills that will serve the students well, in Math and beyond.

Ms. Ungureanu has been running Math Competition clubs for students of all grade levels since 2018. Last year was their best showing yet, with three first place wins in Montreal. It was a huge honour, and one that the students worked very hard for, but for Ms. Ungureanu, excellent results aren’t the goal. The goal is to help students appreciate math and spark a lifelong love for the discipline, and that doesn’t come from gold medal wins. 

Kells senior students recently wrote the challenging University of Waterloo Math Contest. Although gold medals aren’t the main goal, we still have our fingers crossed for them!

Students begin to truly appreciate math when they go beyond factoring and formulas and see the logic behind the solution. When they find an original solution to a problem, math becomes exciting. When they collaborate with a group, challenging each other to improve, they understand the satisfaction that can come from teamwork and practice. Many students are reluctant to join Math Competition Club at first because they’re afraid they’re not good enough. Ms. Ungureanu has seen many students like that grow in confidence and skill over the years, and that’s what makes Math Competition Club greater than the sum of its parts.