Math Kangaroo contest coming to Naperville
No matter where you are, from Andorra to Zaire, two plus two equals four.
Math's universal quality makes for a level playing field and some good international competition.
Mathematicians around the world developed the Math Kangaroo competition to encourage students to challenge their math abilities. Maria Omelanczuk began the program locally because she is on a mission to help students love math.
Q. What is Math Kangaroo?
A. It's an international competition in mathematics. It takes place in roughly 42 countries. This year, we expect almost 5 million students to participate. The exam date in March is the same for all participating countries.
Q. How did the competition start?
A. It was a popular test in Australia. Some visiting French teachers liked the idea of an organized test for all students and started it in Paris in 1991. It was so successful that five other counties joined in 1992. We are now in Europe, North and South America, and Asia.
Q. Why did you begin it here?
A. I was a math teacher at the John III Sobieski School of Polish Language and History in Chicago when I introduced the idea of organizing the competition in America. I had my students in mind because I wanted them to master math skills. But it was not long after that other students wanted to take part, and today there are 18 locations in the Chicago area, usually in public schools and libraries. There is a teacher in Lemont who will bring her students to our Lisle location for the fourth time.
Q. Is there anything new this year?
A. The March test date is during spring break in some school districts. In LaGrange, they are opening the school just for students who want to participate.
Q. Do some students come back year after year?
A. Yes. This is our 11th competition and we have students who have participated for 10 years. But we also have a girl who is beginning as a high school junior at level 11. Four years ago, we began the test at the second-grade level; previously we had it start at third grade. There are 12 levels.
Q. Do you need to participate at the level you are in school?
A. You may participate at that level or higher. Some students in an accelerated program may want to test at a higher level, but you can also test with your peers.
Q. Do you offer grants or scholarships?
A. Since we began as a 501c3, each year we award grants to students in high school who have participated in the competition at least four times and placed at the top of the list. Last year, we were able to give one student $1,000 and another $500. These awards are given across the United States.
Q. What do students receive?
A. On the test day, there is a gift, a T-shirt and a certificate of participation for each student. Students also take home the exam questions so they can go over them with their parents or teachers. Top winners will receive prizes in about six weeks. Last year, we had 325 prizes as listed at 2007 Awards on our Web site.
Q. What are the rules?
A. Students come to the competition, work independently and not use calculators. You don't lose points if you guess. Scratch paper is provided.
Q. How many students participate at the Lisle Hyatt location?
A. Last year, we had 87. This year we have an additional site in Naperville, so it will be interesting to see how many students we have together. On our Web page, we list all the locations. We had 1,447 students participate in the United States last year.
Q. What feedback do you get from students?
A. Older students are thankful for the prizes and say the skills help them in their SAT and ACT exams. Parents of younger students say their child is proud to wear their T-shirt. One teacher said some of her students were going to practice their skills over the vacation because they wanted to place better the following year. We have the previous exams on our Web site, mathkangaroo.org, so students can see them.
Q. How can the same exam be given in Poland and France as in the United States?
A. Mathematics is math in all countries. We want American kids to be the best in the world, so why wouldn't they want to test their skills? It is the same test with a different translation. Leaders from each participating country meet each year to select questions for the following year. The conference is in English so for us it is easy to translate. I need to submit this summer five to 10 sample questions for next year. Then we all meet and choose the set for the following spring.
Q. How many questions are on the exam?
A. The test is multiple choice and takes about 75 minutes. Students in grades two, three and four get 24 questions. Eight questions are worth three points, eight are worth four points and the last eight, more difficult questions, are worth five points each. Older students get 30 questions. The more points you earn, the higher you place at every level.
If you go
What: Math Kangaroo in USA
When: Register by Monday; test date is 6 p.m. March 27; confirmed registration comes back in early February
Where: Lisle Hyatt in Lisle and Xilin Asian Community Center in Naperville
Details: Contest open to all students from second grade through high school
Cost: $20 if you enter in the comment area that you read it in the Daily Herald, $30 otherwise; register and pay online or mail in a check
Info: mathkangaroo.org