29/12/2022

The press highlights students who won awards at the 17th OBMEP.

Reprodução TV Globo

The story of Miriam Adrielly Silva de Brito, a teenager from Paraíba who traded her 1Thursdays birthday party for a laptop and a preparatory course for the OBMEP (Brazilian Mathematics Olympiad for Public Schools), was featured on JPB1, a TV Globo news program in Paraíba . The choice of the student, who lives in a rural area, resulted in her winning a bronze medal in the 17th edition of the Brazilian Mathematics Olympiad for Public Schools, which took place this year. The results were announced on December 20th.

In an interview, the 9th-grade student from Raimunda Leite Sobrinha School in Conceição stated that her fascination with the Olympiad began by chance. Adrielly started studying on her own in 2021 – the year she earned her first honorable mention.

“I ended up passing to the second phase. I didn't know what it was about, or the importance of the Olympiads in student life, but I researched, delved deeper, and saw that the Olympiad was extremely important, that it awarded prizes, gave countless opportunities, and I started studying in 2021, but a little disoriented, without a study method, without organization. Even so, with all the effort, I ended up winning an honorable mention,” the student recalled.

It was after her first achievement that Adrielly chose to forgo a debutante party for a laptop and a preparatory course for the OBMEP (Brazilian Mathematical Olympiad for Public Schools). Her goal was to become a medalist – a dream that came true this year.

“[My parents] asked if I wanted a trip or a party for my 1Thursdays birthday, but I wanted to be a medalist, so having a laptop and a math course would help with that,” she explained to TV Globo.

For the coming years, the student dreams of going even further. "My goal is to dispel the xenophobia that people have towards the Sertão region, towards Paraíba, because everyone has the ability to leave and pursue their dreams, and that's what I'm doing for myself and my family."

Albany Alves da Silva, the student's mother, said in the report that her daughter is already an inspiration to friends and other residents of Conceição.

"She is very dedicated in everything she does. She is very studious, she is a wonderful daughter (…) She is an example for her classmates, for the city, for the countryside, we see many classmates being inspired by her," said the mother who works as a farmer.

OBMEP results highlighted in O Globo and other media outlets.

O Globo also dedicated space to publicizing the results of the 17th edition of OBMEP. On December 20th, the newspaper mentioned the list of award winners and the number of medals to be distributed: 575 gold; 1,725 silver; 5,175 bronze; and 51,900 honorable mentions. The article also emphasized that teachers, schools, and Municipal Education Secretariats that stood out for their students' performance will also be awarded.

On the 2Thursdays, a new report in O Globo told the story of 13-year-old student Mariana Guedes de Souza, who won her first gold medal this year . Awarded bronze last year, the young girl finally achieved the coveted gold medal this year. The report also mentioned that the girl asked for an OBMEP (Brazilian Mathematical Olympiad for Public Schools) question book for Christmas.

“I improved my way of studying, since I learned that mathematics is like a ladder: you need the basics to be able to advance. And I also learned a different kind of mathematics than what was presented in school while studying for the Olympiads,” the girl highlighted to the newspaper. Melissa dreams of attending university abroad, in the field of exact sciences and technology.

CBN radio also covered the announcement of this year's Olympiad results in its programming. A report broadcast on national television told the story of 13-year-old student Mariana da Silva, who won the second gold medal.

“With effort I won my first medal and gained access to the PIC (Junior Scientific Initiation Program), and I had a math course and access to a very good teacher who helped me. I was able to take this test more easily,” said the girl, a resident of the west side of Rio de Janeiro.

The results of the 17th edition of OBMEP were also published by Agência Brasil ; the newspapers O Dia and Extra ; radio station Tupi ; Correio Braziliense and dozens of other media outlets across the country.