Syosset Middle Schooler Selected For Young Math Scholars Program

SYOSSET, NY — A South Woods Middle School student has been selected as a Long Island Young Scholar of Mathematics.

Seventh grader Grace Chenxin Liu was selected as one of about 87 students to participate in the Institute of Creative Problem Solving for Gifted and Talented Students for the upcoming academic year. She was one of just 25 seventh and eighth graders to be selected for this year's program.

The program aims to engage gifted students in grades fifth through 10th in creative problem solving in mathematics and science. Classes meet Saturday mornings at SUNY Old Westbury during the school year, and cover topics such as problem-solving strategies, number theory, geometry, geoboards, probability and statistics, calculation of the speed of sound, among many others.

The Institute of Creative Problem Solving for Gifted and Talented Students is a highly competitive program. Each year, approximately 700 students are nominated by Long Island school principals for 84 available spots. Selection by the Institute implies that a student is among the top one-tenth of one percent of all students in mathematics on Long Island in his or her grade.