Annual Math & Robotics Day inspires high school students in STEM | News

After winning second place in the math competition last year, Osvaldo Ledezma came back with a mission.

Ledezma, a senior from Victoria West High School, won first place in the computer science competition Tuesday during this year’s 27th annual Math & Robotics Awareness Day at the University of Houston-Victoria.

“I didn’t expect to win because I thought I did alright, and there were some questions where I was doubtful, but I think what really helped me was constant practice,” Ledezma said. “I’ve gotten more confident in my ability by not overthinking my answers, utilizing my time wisely and working through those different packets. All my work paid off in the end.”

The 27th annual Math & Robotics Awareness Day is funded by a grant from Alcoa Foundation and commemorates STEM disciplines during Mathematics Awareness Month in April.

“Alcoa Foundation has been a supporter for years, and it has been a pleasure,” said Ricardo Teixeira, UHV associate professor of mathematics. “We have had the opportunity to reach so many students with this event, and the summer and after-school programs; it has been great.”

The event offered multiple activities and contests to local high school students to inspire them to pursue careers in math, engineering and computer science. UHV has hosted the event for 26 years, impacting nearly 5,000 students, with top talents from each school participating in the competition.

The event had 167 students registered from more than 10 schools in and around Victoria. The schools included: Victoria West High School, Victoria East High School, St. Joseph High School, Calhoun High School, Faith Academy, Cuero High School, Palacios High School, Industrial High School, Riverside Academy, Bloomington High School, Gonzales High School, A.C. Jones High School and Hallettsville High School.

Teixeira kicked off the event by presenting a magic show while incorporating high-level math to a crowd of students in the Walker Auditorium.

“I am so happy to see an auditorium full of students who are having fun with mathematics,” Teixeira said. “To see the kids enjoying math, and broadening their curiosity, this will be an experience for their lives.”

Afterwards, students were split into groups to listen to lectures that touched on topics including nanotechnology by Asahi Tomitaka, UHV assistant professor of computer science, and math and Artificial Intelligence by Amy Cuevas, UHV mathematics lecturer.

Lunch was provided for the students, along with expo booths set up at University North, offering students the opportunity to connect with representatives from local agencies. The representatives who were there included: Dow Chemical Company, Victoria West Robotics Team, Caterpillar Inc., the YMCA SHTEAM bus, UHV recruitment, Crossroads Steam Alliance, Inteplast and members of the UHV after-school robotics program, which is funded by Alcoa Foundation.

Winners of the mathematics and computer science competitions each received an iPad. In addition, second- and third-place winners received medals while first-place winners received a trophy. The winners for the computer science contest were:

• First – Osvaldo Ledezma, Victoria West High School
• Second – Nathan Mersino, Victoria West High School
• Third – Stacy Zhang, Calhoun High School

The mathematics tests were divided by grade. The winners of the math contest by grade and high school were:

• Freshmen – Lyla Kallus, Industrial, first; Mandeep Jain, St. Joseph, second; John Franz, Industrial, third
• Sophomore – Morgan Mader, Industrial, first; Fred Smith, Industrial, second; Cooper Kolle, Industrial, third
• Juniors – Daniel Choi, Victoria West, first; Stacy Zhang, Calhoun, second; Philip Alm, Cuero High School, third
• Seniors – Emmett Lee, St. Joseph, first; Tammy Zhang, Calhoun, second; Deion Nuells, Industrial, third.