Zofia Lenkiewicz, Dagmara Kałkus, Rafał Ryżewski and Marcel Szymski performed excellently in the Polish Mathematics Championships for Children and Young People. In the category for third-year students of upper-secondary schools, Zofia took second place in the province and 29th in the country. Dagmara was third at the provincial stage (31st in Poland). In the second-year category, Rafał proved unbeatable, taking first place in the province (57th in the country). Marcel, competing in the first-year category, was second in the province and 92nd in the country.

The first edition of the Polish Mathematics Championships involved 1,000 schools, 2,000 teachers and 20,000 students. “We achieved significant places in every category,” says Dorota Kurowska, a mathematics teacher. “These championships are a wonderful initiative by the educational and publishing company Elitmat. Those lower-secondary school students who chose our school will have the opportunity to find this out in the new school year.”

The high-school students’ success is no coincidence. “II LO lives and breathes mathematics,” Kurowska says. “We engage with this field not only during lessons, and we devote time and attention not only to Olympiad participants. Anyone who wants to take part in mathematics competitions has that opportunity. It is truly possible to develop your skills here—all it takes is willingness.”

Edyta Gawilk-Lippik, Rafał Ryżewski, Marcel Szymski, Dagmara Kałkus, Dorota Kurowska i Mirosław SakowskiEdyta Gawilk-Lippik, Rafał Ryżewski, Marcel Szymski, Dagmara Kałkus, Dorota Kurowska i Mirosław Sakowski • GA

“I am very happy about the successes of our students and teachers,” emphasizes Mirosław Sakowski, principal of II LO. “The school earns honors not only in sports, but also in Olympiads and mathematics and Polish-language competitions. In this respect, this is a breakthrough year for the school, and the coming years will be even better,” he predicts.

Interestingly, neither Dagmara, Rafał nor Marcel plans to pursue a future in mathematics. Marcel wants to study at a technical university, Rafał plans to study medicine, and Dagmara intends to become… a film director.

Mathematics at II LO in Bolesławiec is taught by Dorota Kurowska, Beata Mosorka and Edyta Gawlik-Lippik.

(information: ii)