Select, train and take a USA national team to the International Math and Science Olympiad (IMSO)
Background of IMSO
Worldwide math and science competition for elementary and middle school students under the age of 13
Prestigious competition involving many of the world’s top 10 ranking math Olympiad countries such as China, Singapore and Vietnam and Korea.
USA conspicuous by its absence
Value of the IMSO
The USA has a very strong high school math Olympiad training program, where students participate in the American Math Competition and American Invitational Math Examination (AIME) to gain qualification for the USA Math Olympian (USAMO), from which the national team is chosen.
This structured contest math ecosystem unfortunately does not extend to the elementary and early middle school age group, which is unfortunate because many precocious talents start to develop high level math skills during this time that may atrophy without proper development.
The IMSO provides us with an opportunity to organize qualifying competitions and build training programs around it. The training programs provide students with the opportunity to keep learning and developing their advanced math skills. The competitions provide them with feedback on their mathematical development and can be used as a benchmark against other peers. The drive to improve ones results over time serves as a strong motivational factor for students to pursue math seriously.
Timeline
30 Aug
Send out information on the competition and registration details
10 Sep
Students take the competition in 3 physical locations in Las Vegas NV, Cambridge MA and San Francisco CA.
13 Sep
Results are marked and posted with the top 6 selected for the national team and the next 6 serving as alternates
16 Sep
Deadline for top 6 to confirm their participation in the national team
17-19 Sep
Alternates have 24 each to confirm their place in the national team if any of the top 6 drop out
20 Sep
Official submission of names to the competition
21 Sep to 20 Nov
Analyzing and creating an IMSO training curriculum
Weekly remote and onsite training for the national team
25 Nov to 1 Dec
Traveling to Vietnam and Competing
2 Dec
Traveling back to the USA