Russian School of Mathematics to Honor 10 RSM-Andover Students for Top Scores in National and International Math Competitions

Ten students who attend the Andover branch of the Russian School of Mathematics (RSM) for after-school math enrichment will be among 200 RSM students from more than 50 Greater Boston communities honored for posting top scores in national and international math competitions during the 2012-2013 school year.

RSM will host the awards ceremony at First Church of Boston on Sunday, June 2nd from 6-9 pm to recognize its best students for remarkable achievement on the SAT, the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) test, the American Mathematics Contest (AMC) 8, 10 & 12, and the Math Kangaroo International Olympiad.

To qualify for a 2013 RSM Achievement Award RSM students had to meet at least one of the following criteria:
• Certificate of Achievement or higher from American Mathematics Contest (AMC) for middle school and high school students.
• A Score of 700 or above on Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (JH CTY) SAT
• State or National Ranking in Math Kangaroo International Olympiad
• A gold or silver pin in the Middle School Olympiad for Elementary and Middle School Students (MOEMS).
 RSM-Andover Students Receiving Awards for Mathematical Excellence in AMC 8 include:
Justin Chang, Grade 6, Honor Roll & Certificate of Achievement
Kirill Rogovoy, Grade 6, Certificate of Achievement
Oliver Nemec, Grade 6, Certificate of Achievement
Rishi Srinivasan, Grade, 6, Honor Roll & Certificate of Achievement

RSM-Andover Students Receiving Awards for Mathematical Excellence in the Math Kangaroo International Olympiad include:

Alicia Li, Grade  2, National Winner
Aidan Burt, Grade 4, 5th Place in the Nation
Chen-chen Song, Grade 4, National Winner
Oliver Nemec, Grade 6, 1st Place State (Blue Ribbon), 4th Place in Nation
Tadeas Nemec, Grade, 11, 2nd Place State Winner (Red Ribbon)

RSM-Andover Students Receiving Awards for Mathematical Excellence on the Math SAT in Grade 8 through the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth include:

Andrew Cheng, Grade  8, SAT, 710 - High Honors

For over a decade, RSM students have consistently churned out remarkable scores on standardized tests and in national and international math competitions.  This year is no exception.  Even RSM 8th graders who take the SAT three years early average 648/800 on the test compared to the US 11th grade average score of 523.  And RSM 8th graders posting perfect scores of 800 on the SAT is not unheard of.  The majority of continuing RSM 10th and 11th graders score well above 750 on the SAT.

Inessa Rifkin and Irina Khavinson, the two Russian immigrant women who started the Newton-based school in 1997, believe that anyone can do well in math given the right learning environment.   They also point out that top test scores are just one of the benefits of RSM’s unique after-school math enrichment program.  RSM students also see higher grade point averages in school, more confidence, and a strengthening of problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

The key, they say, is creating an enjoyable learning environment that emphasizes understanding over rote memorization supported by a systematic curriculum and well-trained, enthusiastic teachers who can pass their love of math on to their students.

Once based in the Rifkin family living room, the school has seen demand for its unique program increase dramatically over the years and today enrolls more than 8000 students at 15 math schools across five states.  RSM plans to open three new math school locations this summer in Winchester, Mass., Brookline, Mass, and Rocky Hill, Connecticut.

About the Russian School of Mathematics
The Russian School of Mathematics is a unique after-school math program based in Newton, Massachusetts that has been developing excellence in mathematics and critical thinking skills since 1997.  Families of more than 8,000 students in five states trust RSM to deliver a world-class math education for their K-12 students.  For more information, visit www.russianschool.com.