Top MATHletes in Ireland announced at National Finals

At the MATHletes Challenge 2014 National Finals, which were held last Saturday at The CHQ Building, IFSC, Dublin, the following students walked away with the title of Mathletes Champion for their category.

Conor Sheehan of Christian Brothers College, Cork was named as the top MATHlete in the country for 3^rd year students.

Danielle Farrelly of Eureka Secondary School, Kells, Co. Meath was named as the top MATHlete in the country for 2nd year students.

David Olowookere of The Kings Hospital, Palmerstown, Dublin 20, was named as the top MATHlete in the country for 1st year students.

Quinn Painter of Clondrinagh National School, Co. Clare was named as the top MATHlete in the country for 6^th class students.

Ciaran Rice of St. Joseph’s National School, Jenkinstown, Co. Kilkenny was named as the top MATHlete in the country for 5th class students.

The winners were chosen out of the 3,000 students from 5^th and 6^th class in the junior cycle and 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd years in the senior cycle who have taken part in the MATHletes Challenge 2014.

The Mathletes Challenge was launched at the beginning of February as the brainchild of Cork based tech entrepreneur Sean O’Sullivan of SOSventures and Department of Education and Skills Junior Minister Ciaran Cannon. MATHletes makes use of the Khan Academy which is the global leader in free online STEM education, to improve the overall standard of Ireland’s math students.

According to Kelly Kirkpatrick from Mathletes, “We have been overwhelmed with the success of the Mathletes Challenge and how the students of Ireland have embraced the Khan Academy. Collectively they spent over 900,000 minutes doing maths while using the Khan Academy platform, which speaks volumes for how Irish students have really fallen in love with maths in an enjoyable and engaging way.”