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Demonstrating mathematical prowess and showcasing problem-solving skills took centre stage when students from 11 public and private schools across the Cayman Islands gathered for the 12^th annual Minds Inspired Maths Challenge last week.

A total of 174 participants from Year 6 to Year 13 were split into junior and senior divisions, with each group competing on a separate day at the University College of the Cayman Islands.

Firstly, they put their skills to the test in an individual challenge before joining forces as part of mixed teams of students from different schools for a fun and competitive final round of problem solving.

As an additional twist, the juniors (Years 6-9) duelled rival schools for a chance to win the pirates treasure – a nod to the event coinciding with the national festival, Pirates Week – with Cayman Prep & High School taking home those honours.

In the individual competitions, a pair of students from Cayman Prep & High School were the overall winners. Benjamin Lymbery-Dickie, a Year 7 student, won the junior competition, while Jake Fagan, a Year 12 student won the contest among senior students.

As part of the overall Minds Inspired programme, the goal is to excite Cayman’s youth about science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects, learning and education. Minds Inspired is a Dart initiative that uses innovative and exciting programmes, activities and awards to encourage Cayman's youth to embrace STEM subjects.

“Math is a vital tool for organising, planning, and making sense of the world around us. Beyond that, understanding math helps students build critical thinking skills, making them better problem-solvers,” said Glenda McTaggart, Dart’s senior manager for education programmes.

“This Maths Challenge brings out the best students each year. I continue to be impressed with their determination and ability to solve complex mathematical problems,” she added.

The event also included a panel discussion designed to showcase attractive career opportunities that await the students. The panel was moderated by Kelly Sage, the co-founder of Career Masters, and featured conversation with Errol Simms, a supervisor at KPMG and Eleanor Madden, a director of compliance at Waystone.

Launched by Dart in 2013, the Minds Inspired Maths Challenge initially focused on upper-grade students but has grown due to demand to include students from junior years.

In addition to Minds Inspired and its various STEM initiatives, Dart also rewards high-performing Caymanian students with high school and university scholarships through the Dart Scholar programme. Fagan and J-Mar Clark, a Year 10 student from John Gray High School, both of whom are Dart Scholars, were among the winners.

See full list of winners below:

Junior Individual Winners:

• Junior Overall Winner: Benjamin Lymbery-Dickie, Year 7, Cayman Prep & High
• Pirates Treasure Winner: Cayman Prep & High School
• Overall Winner: Benjamin Lymbery-Dickie, Year 7, Cayman Prep & High School
• Grade 6/Year 7 Winner: Haris Ahmad, Cayman Prep & High School
• Grade 7/Year 8 Winner: Eze Vassell, Cayman Prep & High School
• Grade8/Year 9 Winner: Nina de Saram, Cayman Prep & High School

Junior Mixed Team Competition:

• First Place: Nina de Saram, Cayman Prep & High School; Ethan Taylor, Triple C School; Luke Hamilton, Cayman Academy.
• Second Place: Gianna Clarke, Clifton Hunter High School; Haris Ahmad, Cayman Prep & High School; Ishmael Martin, Clifton Hunter High School.
• Third Place: Kai Telfer, Clifton Hunter High School; Alex Johnson, Cayman International School; Aabirah Maham Siddiqui, home-schooled.

Senior Individual Winners:

• Senior Overall Winner: Jake Fagan, Year 12, Cayman Prep & High School
• Grade 9/Year 10: Garrison French, Clifton Hunter High School
• Grade 10/Year 11: Christopher Seerattan, John Gray High School
• Grade 11/Year 12: Mateus Rocco, Cayman International School
• Grade 12/Year 13: Zach Garnett, Cayman Prep & High School

Senior Mixed Team Competition Winners

• First Place: Luke Comley-White, Grace Christian Academy; Zara Majid, Cayman International School; Ikenna Eleweanya, John Gray High School
• Second Place: Evan Elizondo, Grace Christian Academy; Logan McFarlane, Cayman Prep & High School; Omari Henry, Cayman Academy
• Third Place: Mateus Rocco, Cayman International School; Sierra Bergman, CF School; J-Mar Clark, John Gray High School

For more information about the Maths Challenge and other Minds Inspired initiatives, visit www.mindsinspired.ky