COLD LAKE - Everything is adding up for Assumption Jr/Sr High School’s top number cruncher.
Edison Wang, known by his friends as Eddie, will be packing his bags and heading to Ontario for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Not only has the young math whiz earned himself a spot at the University of Waterloo’s prestigious math-based workshop, he also gets to spend eight days at his top post-secondary choice.
“It’s my dream university,” he said.
Edison, a Grade 11 student, will be attending the University of Waterloo along with 69 other students as part of the 2024 Lloyd Auckland Invitational Workshop.
From June 2 to 8, Edison will be among some of the country’s brightest students as they participate in sessions geared towards Edison’s favourite subject: mathematics.
“Numbers have always made sense to me,” expressed Edison. “I’ve always been good at it and its always been my strong suit.”
Attending the workshop is a dream come true, but it wasn’t an opportunity that was handed to him. In order to be eligible, Edison had to enter a competition-like contest, where he answered 25 questions that increased in difficulty.
While he couldn’t provide an exact number of competitors, Edison knows there were over 300 students from across the country who were invited to apply for a space. That number was narrowed down to 70.
“I’m very excited. The opportunity to go and explore the campus, meet new people with similar interest, and work with others throughout the workshop is incredible,” he added.
Hoping to one day land himself a career in computer engineering or in the world of AI technology, this workshop is right up Edison’s alley.
Outside of cramming for exams and tests, Edison is also a member of his school’s Mathematics Team, who were Zone Team Champions for the Canadian Intermediate Mathematics Contest held by the Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing at Waterloo University.
“We are thrilled for Edison and this opportunity to participate in the Waterloo University Mathematics Workshop. Edison works hard to continually improve his mathematics skills and is well-deserving of this recognition,” said AJSH Principal Elaine Ernst. “Being one of only 70 students from across the country chosen to participate is a remarkable achievement and we are very proud of Edison. We know he will be an amazing representative of our school and community and we can’t wait to see what he does in the future.”