They are young, talented and hard-working. Fortunately, they were also noticed and appreciated. The Polish team of secondary school students won the prestigious Baltic States Mathematical Competition “Baltic Way”. The winning team includes, among others, two representatives from Gdynia – Jakub Pieczonka and Krzysztof Karwik.
– Kuba started talking late, but quickly started counting – recalls Jeremiasz Pieczonka, Jakub's father. – There were definitely moments when I was walking and thought about a math problem – admits Jakub Pieczonka, a student of the 3rd Secondary School in Gdynia, winner of Baltic Way 2024.
– In an ideal world, I would count about five hours, but it's probably closer to four every day – says Krzysztof Karwik, a student of the 3rd Secondary School in Gdynia, winner of Baltic Way 2024.
SEE ALSO: IT is no longer in the first place. These directions were the most popular
Krzysztof Karwik and Jakub Pieczonka, students of the 3rd Secondary School in Gdynia, after becoming winners of the Mathematical Olympiad in Poland, together with their friends won the 35th Baltic States Mathematical Competition held in Estonia in the second half of November. Teams from 11 countries took part.
– A complete success, actually the first and greatest success that we, as young people, can achieve – says Krzysztof Karwik.
– This is one of the most important mathematics competitions. In this region, the only international one in which at least Poland takes part. It takes place as a team, so we not only work for our own result, but we work for the result of the entire country – says Dominik Bysiewicz, supervisor of the Polish team in Baltic Way 2024, a student of the Jagiellonian University in Krakow.
They don't normally learn mathematics at school
High school students from Poland solved 16 out of 20 tasks.
– There is the so-called Olympic mathematics and it has its own topics and it is not included in the school curriculum – notes Wojciech Tomalczyk, a mathematics teacher at the 3rd Secondary School named after the Polish Navy in Gdynia.
Krzysztof and Jakub do not attend mathematics classes at school. They practice solving problems in algebra, combinatorics, geometry and number theory every day under the supervision of Wojciech Tomalczyk.
– I have to come up with some tasks that they cannot solve, because usually I give them tasks and they ask me for more difficult tasks – says Wojcech Tomalczyk.
They think about them during remote meetings, as well as during camps at the Central Sports Center in Cetniewo.
– I like to win, and solving each task is a small victory, satisfaction with myself that I have achieved something – says Krzysztof Karwik.
– There's a mathematician, there's a PE teacher, and these five hours of poring over a math problem, well, have to be balanced with five hours of physical exercise. This goes hand in hand – notes Wiesław Kosakowski, principal of the 3rd Secondary School. Polish Navy in Gdynia.
Broad interests
They have a break from mathematics every day. – Due to learning mathematics, this is my greatest priority and greatest pleasure, although of course, I am a teenager, I like to do various other things, play sports, and the like – says Jakub Pieczonka.
– He has various interests, recently he has been bringing home various interesting dishes, from very exotic to sophisticated ones, he likes the guitar, he plays games with his friends for many hours – says Agnieszka Karwik, Krzysztof's mother.
Kamil Tomkowicz from Our Future Foundation about the challenges for Polish educationTVN24 BiS
Victory in the Baltic States competition is not the only success this year of young Polish mathematicians.
– We won the Central European Olympiad and were in the top ten in the International Mathematical Olympiad, this has never happened in recent history, so to speak, so our students showed off here – emphasizes Łukasz Orski, supervisor of the Polish team in Baltic Way 2024, a student of the Jagiellonian University in Krakow. .
Participating in one of these Olympics is now Krzysztof and Jakub's goal. – I think that next year will be an even greater success – says Wojciech Tomalczyk.
They have not chosen their field of study yet
Parents of high school students are bursting with pride. – Probably the most important thing is that as a young man he is hard-working and organized, he is able to organize his time so that he can later take part in such competitions – says Jeremiasz Pieczonka, Jakub's father.
The fourth-graders have not chosen their field of study yet, and they are not thinking about work yet. – I haven't received many offers yet – admits Jakub Pieczonka. That's not a reason to worry yet. Besides, they give them a wide berth.
– This way you can drive a mathematician crazy, give him a task that he will never solve. I don't want to drive myself crazy, if I can't solve a task, I just check how to do it – says Krzysztof Karwik.
Main photo source: TVN24