Washington Elementary Math Super Bowl stars wear big smiles as they show off their medals, ribbons and trophy. (Courtesy photo)
Their winning smiles tell it all as Washington Elementary Math Super Bowl team members show off their medals, ribbons and trophy. (Courtesy photo)

From hushed concentration to bursts of excitement, the 41st annual Math Super Bowl brought fierce academic competition to the Page Youth Center on May 27.

Students wearing orange t-shirts work together on an engineering problem. (Courtesy photo)
Students work together to figure out an engineering problem. (Courtesy photo)

More than 330 students in grades four through six from 30 public and private schools in southern and mid-Santa Barbara County competed through three rigorous written tests.

Students raced against the clock to solve intricate logic and geometry problems, from identifying the largest possible four-digit multiple of 36 to untangling challenging area equations.

They then tackled a hands-on team challenge: engineering the longest free-standing cantilever made up of 50 toothpicks and a small ball of clay.

“This is gnarly, but in a good way,” one student said.

Awards are earned individually and by grade level, with a top award given to the highest-scoring school overall. This year, that distinction was earned by Washington Elementary School, which scored 765 points out of 900.

Second and third place in the School Overall category went to Laguna Blanca (760 points) and Peabody Charter School (746 points).

First-place individual scorers were:
• 4th grade: Viaan Srivastava, Cold Spring School; Barbara Tran, Isla Vista Elementary School; Ari Kohn, Laguna Blanca (tied scores)
• 5th grade: Seamus Cottrell, Washington Elementary School (with the event’s only perfect score of 50/50)
• 6th grade: Annabelle Zhang, Laguna Blanca

First-place winners by grade-level teams were:
• 4th grade: Washington Elementary School 
• 5th grade: Washington Elementary School
• 6th grade: Laguna Blanca

For a full list of top scorers in all categories, click HERE.

“This achievement is a beautiful reflection of their hard work, persistence, and passion for math. Seeing the joy on their faces as their efforts were rewarded is a moment I will always cherish,” said Washington Elementary Principal Arielle Curry as she watched her students jumped from their seats and race to the podium to collect their first-place trophy.

“This event is really special because it celebrates excellence in math the same way sporting events celebrate high-level athleticism and teamwork,” said Jeff Linder, Montecito Union School math specialist, and a coordinator of the event.

“I love seeing the excitement and smiles as they overcome complex mathematical challenges,” Linder said.

Ellen Barger, associate superintendent/Curriculum and Instruction at the Santa Barbara County Education Office, was among school leaders who announced winners and offered congratulations.

“There is something incredibly joyful about watching young people successfully wrestle with mathematical ideas together,” Barger said. “The students demonstrate curiosity, perseverance, collaboration and courage — the very qualities that will serve them throughout their lives, both in and beyond the classroom.”

The South Coast-based Math Super Bowl is sponsored by Cold Spring, Montecito Union, and Peabody Charter school, and the Santa Barbara County Education Office. A North County-based Math Super Bowl took place in March.