‘Mathletes’ Gain Confidence in Math Competition

Kaunakakai Elementary School participants pose with their certificates and Kamoi Snack-n-Go gift certificates. Photo By Kimberly Svetin

Community Contributed

By Erik Svetin, Molokai High School Student and Mathlete

Three years ago, I started a new annual math competition for Molokai elementary school students. I wanted to share my love and enthusiasm of mathematics with other younger students on island. My goal was to encourage other students to pursue an interest in math and to help them gain confidence with the skills needed to be successful mathematicians at Molokai High School and Molokai Middle School.

I just completed organizing and proctoring the entire competition on May 19-20. More than 100 students in the fourth, fifth and sixth grades from Kaunakakai, Kilohana, Kualapu`u and Maunaloa School participated in Phase I of the competition. Phase II was a second exam which was administered to the top five “mathletes” at each elementary school.

Congratulations to John Patrick Ventura from Kualapuu School for placing first overall on Molokai out of more than 100 students. His principal is Lydia Trinidad. John Patrick’s teacher is Diane Abraham. The math resource teacher is Sue Forbes-Kikukawa.

Second place overall for Molokai went to Nathalie Hosten from Kualapu`u School. Her principal is Lydia Trinidad. Her teachers is Diane Abraham. The math resource teacher is Sue Forbes-Kikukawa.

Third place overall for the island went to Owen Svetin from Kaunakakai Elementary School. His principal is Janice Espiritu. His teachers are Tracy Davis and Joyce Haase.

I would like to thank Jonathan Smith, my AP calculus teacher, at Molokai High School for his guidance of this community competition for the past three years. Thank you to Kamoi Snack-n-Go, Inc. for ice cream gift certificates for every participant. Finally, thank you to all of the principals, teachers, and families for supporting these “mathletes” and for encouraging the importance of everyday math.

The following are the final results of the top three Molokai Math Competition “mathletes” per school:

Kaunakakai Elementary:
1. Teruko Asano
2. Owen Svetin – 3rd Overall Island
3. Paige Fukuoka
4. Cianna Place
5. Winry Cigna

Kilohana Elementary:
1. Leah Lavoie
2. Shiloh Caparida
3. Laila Juario
4. Kamaehu Ward
5. Jayden Napoleon-Pico

Kualapuu Elementary:
1. John Patrick Ventura – 1st Overall Island
2. Chloe Esteron
3. Nathalie Hosten – 2nd Overall Island
4. Kobe Kaalekahi
5. Tiani Keohuloa

Maunaloa Elementary:
1. Divine Brown-Davis
2. Keikilani Judd
3. Kailani Bicoy
4. Genesis Gomez-Kahookano
5. Ilona Kaahanui

I look forward to seeing more participants in 2017 for the fourth annual Molokai Math Competition. If you would like more information, please email me at eriksvetin@yahoo.com.