A group of H.I.S. MYP students travelled to Middle School and Junior mathematics competitions in Munich and Vienna. This year was the first time the competitions were in person since the spring of 2020. Events like these offer students the opportunity to test their skills against students from other international schools in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
Each competition hosted approximately 150 students from 25 different schools. Here are some reflections from the H.I.S. students:
From Bennet…
On the 24th February, I flew to Vienna for an international junior math competition called ISMTF, which would take place the following day. I would first of all like to say that it was an incredible experience staying in a hostel with fellow competitors from different countries all over the world, and going on a ‘holiday trip’ without my family members, which was a first for me. We did various things over the unique weekend, including sightseeing, eating at various restaurants, shopping, learning new things and just having fun with friends.
In the competitions, I felt like I could have done better, because it was very slight margins which separated the pack in the middle, with some places being ties between up to 7 people. It felt like every guess that I made was wrong. It was frustrating that I finished 84th out of 149 students, especially because I always try to be the best or to get the best grade/score in everything I do whether it be in sports, school, or other things. I was sad about it at the beginning, however, it was definitely still an unforgettable experience for me. It has taught me to stay humble, and made me hungry to improve. I cannot wait for the competition next year to hopefully do much better.
From Martin…
Meeting new people from around the world and exploring the city was amazing. I would definitely go again.
From Claudia…
This trip was a new space to not only put our math skills to the test but also branch out and meet new people since they had come from IB schools all over Europe. We also had the opportunity to see what the city of Vienna had to offer, as well as get to know our schoolmates better, and I just really enjoyed the experience overall.
From Filiz…
The competition was an opportunity for all of us to grow not only in terms of our mathematical skills and experience, but also socially. We got to meet lots of new people from all over the world, creating a network of IB students that we might run into later on in our lives. We also had the opportunity to bond with the members of our own team and explore the city of Vienna. I found the trip very enjoyable and I’m glad I decided to take a risk and go.
From Liam…
From my experience, attending the ISMTF competitions in Vienna was very fun and provided me with a unique learning experience. It was thrilling to solve challenging math problems alongside students from different parts of the world. Moreover, I was able to explore Vienna and its rich culture, making my trip even more memorable. What made the experience truly unforgettable were the friendships that I formed. I met so many interesting people from different backgrounds and cultures, and we bonded over our shared love for mathematics. Even though the competition is over, I still keep in touch with many of the friends I made during my time in Vienna.
From Jouri…
I had a lot of fun on the math competition throughout the weekend. I enjoyed the strategic games and finding out the winning tricks. I also enjoyed the competition even though we didn’t win. It was fun to solve new problems. I also enjoyed playing Exploding Kittens with the group. I would go again if I had a chance.
From Maddy…
The math competition was a lot of fun. I met a lot of interesting people and did a lot of fun math, including learning how to solve a Rubik’s Cube. When we were not doing math, we were having fun and playing games as the H.I.S. team. 10/10 experience, would recommend.
From Warren…
This math competition is an unforgettable experience and has given me so many wonderful memories that I will always cherish. The competition made me both nervous and excited and I’m not sure I have ever done anything like it. I would recommend people to train to participate and I am grateful I was allowed to take part in this competition.
From Maahi…
This was a fun and intellectually challenging weekend. The first day when we travelled was tiring; to be honest, all the days were. The main competition was hard as we had to do a lot of questions in sitting. Overall, it was a fun trip with lots of games and puzzles, and meeting famous people. It was also nice meeting students from other schools and getting to know them a bit.
From Oscar…
During the math competition, I had a lot of fun. We had problem solving, logical thinking and learning how to use a Rubrik’s Cube event. My favorite part of the whole thing was the Sunday Chase event. My team got third place, so I am proud of that. Right now, I am sitting on a train next to Warren on an ICE back to Heidelberg, and Warren is still talking about beating up doors (inside joke from the trip).
From Dunsin…
The maths competition was a fun competition that challenged my thinking. I enjoyed working with my teammates and teammates from other schools. Another exciting part was the class with James Grimes and getting his and Tanish’s signatures. I enjoyed seeing Munich again and getting to know the Grade 7s while playing Exploding Kittens (even though they ganged up on me).
From the teachers…
We are incredibly proud of all the students. All our results were solidly in the middle of the pack, showing that our little school can compete with much bigger schools. One highlight was Oscar’s team in the mixed-school event on Sunday morning placing 3rd, which was recognised in the awards ceremony. Congratulations to Oscar for fantastic team work with new contacts he had just met that morning. We noticed how much the students appreciated going on a trip together. They were all lovely to travel with and both trips went very smoothly in spite of transport strikes and delays.
RS & JVG
