Half Hollow Hills Math Scholars Accepted To Special Institute

The Institute of Creative Problem Solving for Gifted and Talented Students at SUNY College at Old Westbury recently announced that seven Half Hollow Hills Central School District students have been accepted into their program. They are among the 85 students selected this year who will pursue the study of mathematics and its applications.

The students from Half Hollow Hills are:

• Samir Batheja, High School East;
• Arav Chand, Candlewood Middle School;
• Viti Chandra, High School West;
• Ellis Eisenberg, High School West;
• Aidan Joseph, West Hollow Middle School;
• Justin Roberts, West Hollow Middle School;
• Mark Shapiro, High School East.

To qualify for this honor, these seven students competed against approximately 550 of the top ranked students who had been nominated from school districts across Long Island. Acceptances were based on four criteria: school transcript, teacher recommendation, a brief statement written by the student and a rigorous entrance exam.

“This distinction clearly separates these students as being among the top of the top of all students on Long Island in math. What an accomplishment!” said Ian Dunst, director of mathematics at Half Hollow Hills. “We are extremely proud to have seven of our students accepted into the Institute this year.”

Each student is expected to spend 50 hours in class over the course of 20 Saturday mornings. The curriculum covers mathematical topics from algebra, geometry, discrete math, and number theory, as well as topics not included in the standard courses of study. These topics include problem solving applied to probability, theory of finite differences, science applications and mass point geometry.

Dunst added that, “over the years, many of the Institute graduates have gone on to participate in and win prestigious national and international math, science, and engineering contests and awards.”

Workshops for parents of students in the Institute are presented on a variety of topics; including how to enhance parent/student communications, improve gifted student self-awareness, and how to foster children’s interests in mathematics, science, and technology. Workshop presenters include Dr. Marci Lobel, psychology professor at Stony Brook University and Elizabeth Wissner-Gross an educational strategist and author.

The Institute is supported by SUNY College at Old Westbury, the Nassau County Mathematics Teachers Association, the Suffolk County Mathematics Teachers Association, the Nassau County Interscholastic Mathematics League, and the Nassau County Association of Mathematics Supervisors, MoMath and Mathematical Olympiads for Elementary and Middle Schools in addition to the advisory board of the Institute of MERIT. Private benefactors and donations from parents of current and past participants fund the program.

An education-oriented community with high academic expectations, the Half Hollow Hills Central School District is located in a residential area of 50,000 people in the central part of Long Island, approximately 40 miles from New York City. Providing for the education of almost 8,000 students, the school district has five elementary schools, two middle schools and two high schools. Half Hollow Hills High Schools are fully accredited by the New York State Department of Education. The district is committed to providing all students with opportunities to excel in academics, athletics and the arts.