We need mathematics in every walk of life: when doing daily shopping, paying bills, opening a bank account, in sports activities, for dieting and healthy lifestyle. Nevertheless, when learning mathematics very few of us realize how important it is going to be later in life. The idea behind Mathematics Counts, a campaign delivered jointly by Gazeta Wyborcza and mBank Foundation, was to show how important and interesting mathematics is.
Mathematics Counts campaign was rolled out with the start of 2017/2018 school year. The organizers’ intention was to show the importance mathematics is in everyday life and prove how absolutely crucial it is for the mother of all sciences to be presented and taught well. Attractive and modern forms of knowledge transfer, that stimulate and keep up a kid’s natural curiosity often translate into later choices made by the young people.
The project included a competition Matematyka w twoim życiu (Mathematics in Your Life) in which primary school children presented how mathematics is present in their daily life or in the life of their school. The presentation could take the form of videos, photos, games, charades, etc. Winners received financial grants for their school. A record-breaking number of competitors entered the game, children from over 120 schools. The winner was Ignacy Łukasiewicz Primary School No 3 in Trzebinia.
The project’s culminating event was the Fourth Mathematics Festival, held on 18 November 2017 in the headquarters of Agora. Visitors could attend one of ten workshops for children, parents and teachers as well as visit stands with robots, logical games and puzzles. The motto was, “Mathematics is everywhere, it is a fun adventure!”