Last month, freshman Honors Geometry students competed in a pitching contest for sustainable infrastructure where teams aimed to solve societal issues. These ideas were presented in front of a panel of judges and their Upper School classmates during assembly.
The panel included prominent members of the Miami community, all well versed in sustainability and public policy. Judges included Addy Nagle, the science coordinator for Miami Waterkeeper, Jess McCoy, a structural engineer for Thornton Tomasetti, Mayor of Coral Gables, Vince Lago, Doctor Mina Teicher, professor of mathematics and neuroscience at the University of Miami, and Jorge de la Paz, the senior strategist for government innovation for Miami-Dade County.
They were tasked with choosing between four teams that each outlined their own ideas for a sustainable project in the Miami area. Each team presented innovative ideas that demonstrated deep thought and attention to detail. These included a new stadium, a cafe, a hotel, and a homeless shelter,
Under the guidance of their Honors Geometry teacher, Ms. Hejna, these students presented their ideas with calculations on the final cost of each project and demonstrations of the angles on the physical structures they would be creating.
“I’d say I was inspired by making our building something good for the community,” said Camila Gomez-Peralta ‘27. “I did some research and discovered that the homeless population in Florida is very high and it has increased crime and unemployment rates. This made me want to gear this math project towards something that would be beneficial for our community, especially taking into account the specific struggles in Florida.”
Each team had their mathematical skills on full display while also channeling their creativity into their designs. They were able to use their quantitative skills to answer difficult questions about the budget and size of each project.
After close deliberations amongst the judges, Camila Gomez-Peralta ‘27 and Ana Elisa Pantin ‘27 were chosen as the winners with their project, the Beneficial Homeless Shelter. This project builds housing for homeless individuals while also providing educational opportunities on environmental issues.
