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O'Donnell Elementary School Grade 4 student Haytam El Ayoubi has qualified for the Math League National Championship, showing the impact of the Wicked Math Initiative.

Boston Public Schools Student Wins State Championship In Wicked Math Year 1

Boston Public Schools (BPS) celebrates our latest champion math wiz. O'Donnell Elementary School Grade 4 student Haytam El Ayoubi won the Massachusetts Math League State Championship last month after earning the highest score in the competition among Grade 4 students. He will compete in the Math League National Championship on June 13, 2026, at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. He represents Boston among the nation's top young mathematicians, with support from the City of Boston's Wicked Math initiative.

Mayor Michelle Wu visited the O'Donnell Elementary Math Club on June 10, 2026 to celebrate Haytam's accomplishment and recognize the successful first year of Wicked Math. Wu's visit was both a sendoff for Haytam and a reminder of the opportunities high-quality math enrichment can make available to students.

Throughout the school year, Haytam attended Math Club twice each week before school, demonstrating exceptional dedication, perseverance, and a genuine love of mathematics. He also represented O'Donnell monthly in Math League competitions, consistently challenging himself through advanced problem-solving and mathematical reasoning.

Haytam's success reflects the broader impact of Wicked Math, the City of Boston's initiative to expand access to advanced math programming across BPS. Launched in the 2025-26 school year through a partnership among EdVestors, The Calculus Project, the Young People's Project (YPP), and the BPS STEM Department, Wicked Math is helping build a stronger citywide math culture and ensuring students who love math have opportunities to deepen their learning inside and outside the classroom.

In its first year, Wicked Math established math clubs at 11 BPS schools, engaged hundreds of students in enrichment opportunities, hired 19 student math mentors through YPP, recruited students for The Calculus Project's summer program at MIT, and provided 11 professional development sessions for 161 BPS math educators.

The O'Donnell Elementary Math Club, led by Taylor O'Brien and Zhi Wang, has been one of the initiative's standout programs. The school's overall math performance has surpassed pre-pandemic levels, improving by 10 percentage points over the past two years.

As we celebrate Haytam's remarkable accomplishment, we also encourage students, families, and educators across Boston to get involved in the next chapter of Wicked Math. Opportunities include summer math programming, school-based math clubs, mentoring, competitions, and advanced learning pathways launching for the 2026-27 school year.

Haytam's achievement demonstrates what is possible when students are given opportunities to explore their passion for mathematics. As he prepares to compete against the country's best young problem-solvers, the entire BPS community is cheering him on and looking forward to welcoming him home after representing Boston with pride.

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Boston Public Schools Students Receive LGBTQ+ Leadership Award From Massachusetts

Boston Public Schools is proud to recognize two outstanding student leaders, whose advocacy and compassion are making a lasting impact across their school communities and beyond.

Boston Public Schools Students Receive LGBTQ+ Leadership Award From Mass

As Pride Month brings together communities in celebration of inclusion, acceptance and the strength of the LGBTQ+ community, Boston Public Schools (BPS) is proud to recognize two outstanding student leaders, whose advocacy and compassion are making a lasting impact across their school communities and beyond.

Boston Latin Academy Grade 12 student Nuriel Gutman and John D. O’Bryant School of Math and Science Grade 12 student Samantha Lee have been named recipients of the 2026 Jeff Perrotti LGBTQ+ Leadership Award from the Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth. The honor recognizes high-school seniors across the Commonwealth who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and dedication to creating school environments where LGBTQ+ students feel seen, heard, and supported.

Gutman and Lee are among just 10 students statewide selected for the prestigious award this year. In addition to the recognition, each recipient will receive a $4,000 scholarship to support their continued education at an accredited post-secondary institution.

The Jeff Perrotti LGBTQ+ Leadership Award celebrates students who have made meaningful contributions to fostering educational spaces where LGBTQ+ youth not only are accepted, but fully embraced. Award recipients were recognized Thursday, May 28, 2026, at the Massachusetts State House during the FY 2027 Annual Recommendations Release Ceremony hosted by the Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth.

“At Boston Public Schools, we believe student voices are essential to creating inclusive and affirming learning environments where every student feels empowered and knows they belong,” said Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper. “This recognition with the 2026 Jeff Perrotti LGBTQ+ Leadership Award is a powerful reflection of our students' leadership and commitment to building a school community where every student feels seen, valued, and supported. We are incredibly proud and grateful for the positive impact these two students have had on their peers, their school community, and the broader Commonwealth.”

Pride Month is a joyful and vibrant time throughout Boston and across BPS, offering an opportunity to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community while highlighting the individuals who work every day to ensure schools are welcoming and affirming for all students. Gutman and Lee exemplify that commitment through their leadership, advocacy, and dedication to uplifting their peers.

Their recognition reflects the continued efforts of BPS students, educators, and school communities to foster environments rooted in belonging, respect, and equity for every student.

(Photos via the Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth)

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Boston Public Schools Student Wins State Championship In Wicked Math Year 1

Boston Public Schools Students Receive LGBTQ+ Leadership Award From Mass

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