Math Olympiad

Hello, Evergreen families! Below, you will find information about Math Olympiad! Please reach out with any questions you may have.

From the MOEMS website, Math Olympiad is "one of the most influential and fun-filled math competition programs in the United States and throughout the world. More than 120,000 students from every state and 39 additional countries participate each year. The objectives of MOEMS are to teach multiple strategies for out-of-the-box problem solving, develop mathematical flexibility in solving those problems, and foster mathematical creativity and ingenuity."

Math Olympiad problems typically require kids to think critically and creatively about math concepts. Students who are always looking for a puzzle, a challenge, or a new perspective will be hooked. I have selected this program for our elementary-grade learners because it prompts them to think deeply and conceptually as opposed to just pushing them "ahead" as quickly as possible. See the example problem below for an example!

Math Olympiad does have a competitive component, with a total of five "Olympiads" in the months of November through March. Students compete in these Olympiads by completing problem sets at school, which I score and submit by the end of the administration window. Students may earn recognition for their performance if they meet certain thresholds, but there's no obvious "last place" (great for kids who are still building confidence). There is also the possibility of traveling to a regional Math Olympiad for a different style of competition experience, though locations will not be announced until January of 2027.

We are committed to ensuring that all interested students can participate in our extracurricular offerings. If you are currently in a position to contribute, a suggested donation of $10 will help to defray the cost of the registration fee.

We really mean it when we say that students can participate for free, so if you are not currently in a position to donate, please do not let that be a barrier! At the same time, I am trying to be mindful of the current budget constraints that are an ever-present challenge for public schools, so if you are able and inclined to help offset the costs of these clubs/teams, we are in no position to turn down help 😃

Math Olympiad is one of four academic extracurriculars that we offer at Evergreen, with each costing between $100 and $300. I plan to supplement donations with money from my classroom budget (and will possibly sell pizza at Fall Family Night!), but in the event that we fall far below the $200 registration fee for Math Olympiad, any donations will go towards establishing an "in-house" math offering that's as close as possible to the real deal :)

I look forward to more time with the students I already know and the opportunity to meet more that I've not yet gotten to teach!