The Association of Women in Mathematics began three years ago when alumna Rosa Wu hosted an invitational competition for girls in her community.
The Class of 2023 graduate’s initiative blossomed over the years into a continued effort to uplift girls in the broader math community: whether that be participating in competitions, helping high school girls with mathematics or fostering curiosity through STEM-based trivia.
“AWM is very community-oriented, and all the club members help prepare [for the Invitational]; they run bake sales to raise money, get volunteers for the event, plan games and activities for the kids and set up everything from decorations to goodie bags,” said senior Rishita Marri, the co-president. “Our goal is to make this a healthy environment for the kids so we try hard to keep any competition fun and not too much.”
Throughout the club’s continued success, each year has included new fun activities for elementary grade girls to engage with at these competitions. For example, the AWM fosters creativity through art-related activities to help lighten tension and create a more inclusive space for young girls.
“My favorite part is at the beginning of the competition when you see all the little girls coming in and looking at all the decorations we put up, talking to the students around them and exploring the area. It gives me the, “Wow it’s happening,” feeling after months of work,” Marri said.
The co-presidents have also gotten creative with prices over the years. Aside from receiving the classic first-place trophy, young mathletes get Squishmallows, goodie bags and other treats to take home as a prize for their continued exploration in math.
“One of the most fun parts about leading AWM is planning out the little details for the invitational—decorations, games, prizes, posters—and then seeing all that effort come into fruition,” senior Ishika Gadani, AWM co-president said. “Especially when little elementary-aged girls are smiling and chatting in the student center during the Invitational, having fun discussing which one of the Squishmallow prizes is their favorite and singing along to the Kidz Bop songs playing on the screen.”
Aside from the work this club does in empowering girls in STEM-related fields to take up space and amplify their voices, the presidents say AWM is not just a math-related club: “AWM is not just a math-related club. You don’t have to be good at math or involved in any math extracurriculars to take part in AWM,” Gadani said. Instead, it is a celebratory place of support.
During the breaks, students have the chance to unwind with coloring pages. (Photo/Rishita Marri)
Each color represents a different division, showing AWM’s effort to level the playing field not only in gender differences, but also in difficulty across grades. (Photo/Rishita Marri)
Young mathlete girls problem solve student-written questions created by AWM club members. (Photo/Rishita Marri)
Seconds away from starting their division tests, young mathlete girls are filled with excitement. (Photo/Ishika Gadani)
