Bedford Central School District Mathematicians Take on National Competition During the Flagway Tournament

For fifth-grade Mount Kisco Elementary School (MKES) student Natalie Cox, one special moment stood out about her participation in the 10th Annual Flagway Tournament & Math Playground. It was the moment when her team moved from twelfth place to ninth place in the national competition.

“Everyone was crying and cheering with joy!” she said.

Natalie and 37 other Bedford Central School District (BCSD) students participated in the event, which was held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Seventeen fourth- and fifth-grade students from MKES, nine Fox Lane Middle School (FLMS) students and 12 Fox Lane High School (FLHS) students took part in the full day of mathematic sportsmanship.

“Flagway presents a different way to engage, excite and encourage students about math,” said facilitator and FLMS math teacher Maria Cambareri.

MKES parent Alex Smoller agreed.

“This is a great example of how, if a subject that may not be the most interesting—prime factorization?!—is presented in a fun and stimulating way, kids will engage, excel, and surpass our expectations.”

Flagway is a fast-paced math-based game with similar elements to many sports. Teams of students navigate a course of radial paths earning points as they go—and learning number theory in the process. Designed for middle schoolers, MKES’s fourth- and fifth-grade teams were the only elementary school students in the tournament, which welcomed students from across the country. High schoolers served as Math Literacy Workers (MLWs), coaching, collaborating and cheering on the younger students.

“It was incredible for our elementary and middle school students to experience what it truly feels like to be among fellow mathematicians,” said Michelle Grier, the Flagway coordinator and BCSD’s elementary math coach. “The tournament provided a unique space where they could genuinely enjoy practicing and applying complex mathematical concepts in a fun, high-energy, and deeply engaging environment. It transformed math from an isolated classroom subject into a collaborative, celebratory sport.”

Before the tournament, students participated in a Math Playground, which is a big arena filled with activities that enhance mathematical understanding. The Math Playground is facilitated by high school MLWs.

“Though the younger students were shy and reluctant at first, their confidence grew as they focused on the games,” said Katya Martinez, a teacher facilitator and FLMS math teacher. “All of a sudden, they weren't just participating, they were thriving, thoroughly enjoying themselves as they put their math skills to work in the Math Playground. It was also incredible to see them give it their all in the tournament, competing hard, working as a team, and staying 100% focused.”

BCSD staff, parents and older students were all impressed by the dedication and determination of the elementary and middle school students.

“Flagway helped so many students believe in themselves,” said MKES parent Denise DePass. “You could see the confidence in each student while they worked together to solve the equations.”

“It was beautiful to see how the elementary and middle school students completely rallied around one another,” added Grier. “Students clapped, cheered, and threw all their energy into supporting each other's success. It truly felt like one big family working toward a shared goal.”

High school MLWs felt a tremendous amount of pride in the younger students.

“Our kids were so focused, excited, and worked hard during the event,” said junior Keilyn Barientos Martinez. “They studied the math and gave it their all. I am beyond proud of them.”

Sophomore Mateo Sterling likened the experience to a big game in sports.

“The tournament brought us together and was truly a joy to be at,” he said. “The team members got the same feeling as playing in a championship game, but they were using what they learned from us. Every struggle and every success in practices was worth it to see them triumph.”

Of course, there were some challenges during the experience—the biggest of which was a change in the way some of the rules were implemented.

“It was difficult as a coordinator to watch our students have to pivot from the exact way we had practiced and adjust to these brand-new rules in real time,” said Grier. “They showed incredible resilience, adapted beautifully to the changes without missing a beat, and proved just how flexible and capable they really are.”

Younger students noted the challenge in competing against middle schoolers and how collaborating and working as a team really helped.

“It was hard when my team and I didn’t know how to get the answer to a problem,” said fifth grader Asher Paquette. “We worked through it saying, ‘Hey I need help on this.’ After maybe one minute or less of everyone working on it, we got the answer.”

High school students were instrumental in the experience.

“This event is entirely student-led,” Martinez said. “The sheer amount of effort and dedication our high schoolers put into this, the hours they spend planning, the patience they show with the younger students, and the leadership they display, is truly humbling. It is a teacher's dream to see these students give back. The mutual respect, the relationships built, and the collaboration on display represent teamwork at its finest.”

Grier couldn’t agree more.

“It was amazing to watch our high school MLWs play such significant roles in the actual execution of the tournament,” she said. “They weren't just onlookers, instead they were leaders who executed all components of the event, which perfectly illustrated the power of the peer mentoring model in action.”

Miguel Vasquez, an MKES parent, was in awe of the experience.

“I wish the whole community had been there to proudly watch our kids competing—not just at the state level, but against teams from across the entire country.”