Del Mar students tackle inaugural Math Festival

From top, left to right, Del Mar Middle School students Olivia Glassell and Anders Eggan; Charley Samaras and Serena Scully; and Nathan Ahlsten, Surya Allidina, Nicholas Pearce and Theo Neland take part in the school’s inaugural Math Festival June 1. Del Mar Middle School students Nathan Ahlsten, Surya Allidina, Nicholas Pearce and Theo Neland take part in the school’s inaugural Math Festival June 1. Students took on logic challenges, visual puzzles, pattern exploration and complex problem-solving. Amy Smith, the Reed Union School District’s math teacher on special assignment, said the festival aimed to let students experience math in a different way through hands-on activities and puzzles that emphasize curiosity, creativity, problem-solving and collaboration. ‘We wanted students to see that math extends beyond the classroom and can be engaging, challenging and fun,’ she said. Smith said she hopes students walked away with ‘greater confidence in their mathematical abilities’ and ‘discovered that being successful in math is not about finding answers quickly. It’s about thinking critically, taking risks, learning from mistakes and enjoying the process of solving challenging problems.’ (Clara Lu / For The Ark)