Palatine Twp. District 15 honors math enthusiast for 25 years of service

Sporting a T-shirt that lets the world know nerds do in fact “rock,” Plum Grove Junior High eighth grader Jennie Yang read her poem, hoping it would serve as a small token of thanks to the mentor and coach who’s shaped hundreds of bright minds over the past 25 years.

“What have you done for us? Tending the garden of budding mathematicians, filling the balloons of our growing minds, painting the beauty of mathematics onto a canvas for all to see,” her poem began.

It was a moment at this month’s Palatine Township Elementary District 15 board meeting that brought tears to Krish Revuluri’s eyes, and one he won’t soon forget.

Revuluri was recognized for 25 years of volunteering his time to prepare District 15 teams for the national middle school MathCounts program, which promotes mathematics achievement through a series of “spelling bee” style contests.

The 32-year Palatine resident first helped his son’s team in 1984 when he attended Plum Grove. He’s also worked with Sandburg, Sundling, Winston Campus, Hunting Ridge and even the Illinois National Team when a Plum Grove student qualified for nationals six different years.

The students he’s helped coach, many of whom stay in touch, have gone on to hold doctorates, become medical doctors and even Rhodes scholars. His own son graduated from the University of Chicago at age 18, while his daughter is an assistant professor of musicology at Harvard University. He coached both on MathCounts teams.

“The students I help, they’re already extremely motivated,” Revuluri said. “I hope to make it so they truly enjoy math.”

A retired engineer and current part-time instructor at Harper College, Revuluri said his love of math began as a child in the Andhra Pradesh state of India when he used to borrow math books from his elders.

Now, scores of his own collection of algebra, geometry, probability and calculus books line shelves in his basement and garage, a storage reality wife Shyamala has grown to accept.

“If he could change the English language to math, he would,” Shyamala Revuluri said. “He’s always reading one and looks like he has to take an exam in 30 minutes.”

Revuluri, who received a doctoral degree in electrical engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington before moving to Palatine and working with companies including Motorola and Lucent, makes himself available at all hours in the weeks leading up to a competition.

He said he’s simply doing his part to help reverse the trend of the U.S. lagging behind other countries in math and science.

“Very few volunteers have worked in the district for nearly 25 years, and even fewer have made an impact as remarkable as Dr. Revuluri,” Assistant Superintendent Mary Zarr said.