28/12/2023

'There are issues that I resolved thanks to the PIC', says Letícia.

With dreams of becoming a doctor, 12-year-old Letícia Rocha won her second medal at the 18th edition of the OBMEP (Brazilian Mathematical Olympiad for Public Schools). And this time, the most coveted one: gold. A resident of Belém do Pará, the young girl studies at the Tenente Rego Barros School and had already won silver in her first participation.

Despite always being a good student in mathematics, Letícia believes that after the Olympiad her relationship with the subject began to change. "A new horizon opened up when I realized the achievements I could have with mathematics, including my dream of becoming a doctor," she said.

In the 17th edition, Letícia won a silver medal, and then joined the Junior Scientific Initiation Program (PIC), which, according to her, was the key to achieving the gold medal this year. "The topics covered in the PIC were essential for me to be able to answer some of the exam questions, allowing me to improve my result in this edition."

Furthermore, the medalist used the R$300 scholarship from the program for a great purchase: a notebook for PIC assignments and also for her personal studies. "Winning a silver medal in the last edition made a big difference because it encouraged me to study more and take on new challenges at school so I could win the gold medal this year," said Letícia.

The young woman says she found out about her result when she received a picture with her name on the list of award winners from a friend who also took the second phase of the OBMEP (Brazilian Mathematical Olympiad for Public Schools) and was very happy with the achievement, especially because she studied hard and prepared to achieve this result.

Now, the young medalist, only 12 years old, is already making plans to enter medical school. And she knows that to secure the highly competitive spot, her experience in the OBMEP (Brazilian Mathematical Olympiad for Public Schools) will help. "I was very excited about the OBMEP award. It showed me that with dedication and effort I can reach even the highest podiums," she concluded.