April 8, 2025
Adding Up Achievements: Annual Tournament Boosts Student Enthusiasm for Math
How many two-digit odd numbers contain the digit 4? (Read to the end to find out.) On March 15, 2025, 29 teams of 4th and 5th grade students from CCUSD and other Los Angeles County schools took on math questions like this in the 18th Annual Excellence in Mathematics Culver City “E = MC2” Tournament held at El Rincon Elementary School. Sanctioned by the international Math Olympiads for Elementary and Middle Schools (MOEMS) organization in New York, it is a highly-anticipated annual event that challenges students to tackle high-level problem solving in a competitive yet fun environment. All five Culver City elementary schools sent two teams each to compete.
These are not your typical elementary school math problems; they are multi-step word problems that require a variety of conceptual strategies, out-of-the-box thinking, and well-honed teamwork to solve. As Site and Proctor Chair Rosie LaBriola explains, “It’s not about winning but is about learning how to analyze both successes and failures in solving mathematical problems. This skill goes way beyond math and is useful in all subject areas and life experiences.”
As the mathletes worked, parents and guardians were invited to the school library to try their hand at solving the same math problems. At the closing ceremony participants were recognized with awards based on both collective team scores and individual scores. Award recipients from CCUSD schools include El Marino Elementary student Aki Salvador who received a silver medal, and Linwood E. Howe Elementary student Wesley Gulin who received a bronze medal. This year three teams earned a near-perfect score of 9/10, which is a new record achievement in the tournament’s history.
The “E = MC2” event was made possible through many months of careful planning by a dedicated team of volunteers who hope to encourage 4th and 5th graders to consider future careers in math and science. The organizers include Tournament Lead Dr. Jason Frand, Site and Proctor Chair Rosie LaBriola, Event Co-Chair Dr. Blake Mellor, Tournament Coordinator VK Shah, Head Scorer Dr. Bob Knopf, and solution presenter Karly Salisbury. Also in attendance was CCUSD School Board member Lindsay Carlson.
CCUSD students trained under the guidance of El Marino Coaches Monica Bell and Kimiko Plehn, El Rincon Coaches Mason Sustayta and Hala Mohammed, La Ballona Coaches Nicole and Tom Wilson, Lin Howe Coaches Sara Jones and Kevin Wallace, and Farragut Coaches Connie Wong and Dedian Guo.
CCEF congratulates all of the mathletes and their coaches, and is proud to provide financial and administrative support for this inspiring program. Lin Howe Coach Sara Jones expressed, “We are especially grateful to the Culver City Education Foundation for supporting this event. Their financial support and enthusiasm for reaching all students across the district for academic enrichment opportunities is so valuable! Thank you, CCEF, for giving so generously to help our students reach their full potential!”
So how many two-digit odd numbers contain the digit 4? The answer is 5! If you know a 4th or 5th grade mathlete, ask them to teach you the tournament Math Cheer:
M…A…M…A…M A T H
M…A…M…A…M A T H
ADDITION, SUBTRACTION
MULTIPLICATION, DIVISION
M…A…M…A…M A T H!
El Marino Team 1 – Monica Bell
Linas Bruzas
Ethan Kondo
Greta Venckus
Leila Zenowich
Koseh Recker
El Marino Team 2 – Kimiko Plehn
Aki Salvador
Matosa Booker
Daichi Bryan
Nico Parks
Maile Goya
El Rincon Team 1 – Mason Sustayta
Bowie Horowitz
Jason Yang
Jana Ethnasios
Austin Hachtmann
Inaya Khan
El Rincon Team 2 Hala Mohammad
Olivia Ou
Jordan Jones
Logan Kupferman
Joaquin Kandell
Ramses Mundy
Farragut Team 1 – Connie Wong
Levi Triebwasser
Emily Lee
Sanai Greenaway
Batu Tanir
Michelle Magana
Farragut Team 2 – Dedian Guo
Miana Guo
Jason Hwang
Amelia Brys
Colbie Fraser
Julia Smith
Jack Broomer
La Ballona Team 1 – Nicole Wilson
Mikiyas Adugna
Troy Furuto
Aria Anaya
Wyatt Krute
Alessandra Mendoza
La Ballona Team 2 – Tom Wilson
Dax Worth
Joanna Oloimooja
Raphael Martinez Placido
Landon Vabulas
Linwood Howe Team 1 – Sara Jones
Wesley Gulin
Tycho Robinson
Sam Nelson
Maya Hughes
Logan Berlin
Linwood Howe Team 2 – Kevin Wallace
William Roegner
Niam Wallace
Nima Kamali
Maria Montes
Andrew de los Santos
