The school’s results continue a long history of excellence in mathematics.
Rabbi Arthur Schneier Park East Day School is pleased to share the results from its middle school students’ participation in the New York Mathematics League Competition.
Sixth grade student Masua Chaiken ranked #1 among the top sixth grade students in the state. In the 2020-2021 competition, Masua, then in fifth grade, ranked #4 out of the top students in the New York City region at the sixth grade level.
“I do math competitions that were done years before to get a better feel of what they’re like,” explained Masua, who also practiced math problems on the way to school on the morning of the competition to prepare. Winning first place feels “awesome,” remarked Masua, whose dream is to become an aerospace engineer at NASA. “The math program at Park East is amazing… Mrs. Spektor is a great teacher,” she added. “She knows how to explain [math concepts] so you really understand them.”
RASPEDS’ sixth grade team ranked #2 in the region and #11 in the state among 44 top schools competing. Our eighth grade team ranked #3 in the region and #21 in the state among 43 top schools competing. The sixth grade team includes Hope Friedlander (fifth grade), Nina Kerzhner (fifth grade), Masua Chaiken, Adam Sabban (fifth grade), Asaf Osterweil (fifth grade), Rami Fishman and Ari Cohen (not pictured).
The eighth grade team includes Paxton Horowitz, Max Packles, Noa Sofer, Danielle Ruiz, Olivia Saar, Hannah Weisberg, Rachel Sabbagh and Isaac Cohen (not pictured).
This year’s results continue a long tradition of excellence in math at RASPEDS. Under the guidance of faculty advisor Galina Spektor, teams and individual students have repeatedly ranked in the top percentiles in the New York Math League, Mathworks and other competitions.
“I am so proud of Masua and all of our students,” said Galina Spektor, who hosts weekly enrichment sessions for students to work on their math skills on top of their assigned schoolwork, and tailors the curriculum to ensure that gifted students are challenged. Mrs. Spektor frequently keeps in touch with RASPEDS alumni, many of whom have gone on to pursue careers in fields that require expertise in mathematics, including financial services, medicine and engineering. “While the students always put forth their best effort, I am especially pleased with our entire team’s performance this year.”
“The math program is one of the crown jewels of our academic offerings here at Park East,” said Debbie Rochlin, Principal, and Temima Feldman, Head of School. “We can’t wait to see what our students accomplish next.”