Staff & Teachers
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Ellen Zhou
Ellen Zhou is the founder of Sunshine Elite Education and Willamette Valley Academy. With 15 years of experience working in hi-tech companies and 7 years dedicated to education, Mrs. Zhou possesses a strong passion for education and has dedicated herself to developing educational programs that cultivate a supportive environment for motivated students seeking to engage in significant pursuits beyond the traditional school classroom.
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Manny Norse
Manuel Norse has been teaching mathematics at the middle and high school level since 1986, covering all levels from basic math to calculus. He holds a B.S. degree in Mathematics from Johnson State College and an M.S. degree in Curriculum & Instruction from Portland State University.(He was also the District Math Specialist for the Beaverton School District for three years.)
For the past 25 years, he has tutored both individuals and groups in competitive math, focussing on MathCounts & the American Regions Mathematics League (ARML). He has had numerous students reach the national level of Mathcounts and has been the state coach five times. He is also involved with the American Math Contest (AMC) & the American Invitational Math Exam (AIME). In addition, he has been awarded the Edyth May Sliffe Award for Distinguished Mathematics Teaching and the Samuel L Greitzer Distinguished Coach Award.
The Board Member of Willamette Valley Academy.
Course(s) to teach:- AMC Competition Event: AMC 10A
- AMC Competition Event: AMC 10B
- AMC Competition Event: AMC 12A
- AMC Competition Event: AMC 12B
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Purushottam Goel
Purushottam Goel is a principal engineer and computer architect at Intel. He holds a bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering from IIT Roorkee and a masters degree in Computer Science from BITS Pilani - both in India.
He has a passion for teaching in general, and especially for teaching physics. He taught physics to his homeschooled sons upto USAPhO (USA Physics Olympiad) level. Both his sons have competed at USAPhO level for many years, and one of them (Gopal K. Goel) went on to win a gold medal at the IPhO (International Physics Olympiad) in 2018.
Purushottam would love to share his knowledge of physics with younger kids.
The Board Member of Willamette Valley Academy. -
Connor Nelson
Connor Nelson is a Beaverton High School graduate and received his master’s degree from Pacific University, specializing in STEM and ELL. He has worked for the past 10 years as a math tutor and teacher. As a teacher, he has worked in a variety of settings from grade 6 through high school and is currently teaching advanced math for the Beaverton School District.
Mr. Nelson works to create a classroom environment in which students feel challenged and supported. He regularly integrates curricula materials with high-ceiling problem-solving tasks and activities. He coaches students on how to cope with difficult tasks, constructively deliver and accept feedback, and maintain a growth mindset.
Course(s) to teach:- AMC Competition Event: AMC 8
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Christopher Dupuis
Christopher Dupuis, an accomplished scholar with an M.S. degree in Physics, is currently engrossed in his Ph.D. research focused on Astrophysics. With an extensive background in academia, he possesses a wealth of experience teaching different level of math and physics classes and providing private tutoring services. -
Shilpa Sharma
Shilpa Sharma holds a Master degree in Computer Science and have many years of experience as a computer programing teacher for different age of students. She is joining Sunshine Elite and WVA faculty team in Summer, 2022.
Course(s) to teach:- ACSL Computer Contest Training - Elementary Division (Gr4-6)
- CogAT Test Prep for 5th Grade
- Competition Event: ACSL Contest Elementary Division - Grade 4-6
- Competition Event: ACSL Contest Junior Division - Grade 6-9
- Competition Event: ACSL Contest Senior Division - Grade 8-12
- Python Programming I: Beginner B - Grade 5-7
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Peng Lin
Mrs. Lin holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Automation and a Master of Science in Information Systems Management. She has achieved the USAMO in her highschool and has received numerous awards in the field of computer programming competitions.
Mrs. Lin has conducted research and data labeling on all AIME, AMC 8/10/12 questions of the past 30 years. Her contributions include the creation of over 1200 competition-level math problems and solutions, multiple sets of high-difficulty teaching materials, and exam papers. In 2023, she provided high-quality teaching and service to over 200 students. The average score of her students in the 2023 AMC10A increased from 86 to 110, with the highest score reaching 141 out of 150.
We are excited to welcome Mrs. Lin to the Sunshine Elite team in 2024!
Course(s) to teach:- AIME - American Invited Math Event Training
- AMC Competition Event: AMC 10A
- AMC Competition Event: AMC 10B
- AMC Competition Event: AMC 12A
- AMC Competition Event: AMC 12B
- AoPS Intro to Algebra A (Grade 6-8)
- Competition Event: Math Kangaroo Grade 1-12
- Competition Event: MOEMS - Math Olympiad Division E - Grade 4-6
- Competition Event:Math League Competition for Grade 5
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Sunil Thapa
Dr. Sunil Thapa, with a Ph.D. in Physics, boasts over a decade of experience teaching at the college level and has also contributed to the Semiconductor industry. His passion for teaching Physics and Math shines through as he joins Sunshine Elite to offer AP-level classes in Physics and Math, as well as providing one-on-one tutoring for high school students.
Course(s) to teach:- Math from Algebra to Calculus, SAT and Physics to IB/AP Physics by Mr. Tucker
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Angela Norse
Angela Norse has a B.S. Degree in Business from Oregon State University and a M.A.T in Teaching from George Fox University. She started her teaching career in 2002. For 11 years, she taught pre-algebra, algebra, and geometry. For 5 years, she was a MathCounts coach and facilitated the American Math Competition(AMC) and Pentagames. She also participated in problem-solving data collection & research analysis for Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (NWREL), Instructional Materials Evaluation for Mathematics for the Oregon Department of Education, and problem-solving scoring for the State of Oregon.
After leaving the Beaverton School District, she has been working with elementary students in the Salem-Keizer School District. Her goal in joining Sunshine Elite is to help younger students start building a foundation of competitive math skills.
Course(s) to teach:- AoPS PreAlgebra A (Grade 5-7)
- Beast Academy Math Level 2AB- Grade 2-3
- Beast Academy Math Level 3AB - Grade 3-4
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Pamela Robinson
Pamela graduated in 1993 from George Fox University with a degree in elementary education and an endorsement in mathematics. She was a middle school math teacher for 8 years teaching general math, beginning pre-algebra, advanced pre-algebra, and algebra to seventh and eighth-graders in the Hillsboro School District.
Pamela has been tutoring and substitute teaching since 2002 in BSD. For the last two years she has taught 7th and 8th grade math at Stoller Middle School. She has been teaching online classes at Sunshine since 2020.
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Leah Hoff
Leah Hoff received her Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Seattle University, with additional coursework in software engineering. She went on to study accounting and is currently working toward her CPA licensure.
Leah is a licensed K-8 general education teacher, with middle & secondary math endorsements. She has many years of experience teaching mathematics, including K-8, pre-algebra, advanced algebra, geometry, algebra II, pre-calculus, probability and statistics. She has functioned as head of the math intervention program at a private school, while also teaching special education and gifted & talented mathematics courses.
Leah instructs in AMC8/10 bridge during times she is not working with Sunshine Academy students. She also provides private math and ELA tutoring for several students ranging from 3rd grade through college. -
Kyle Golden
Kyle Golden holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology. He is a dedicated and passionate educator with a strong commitment to nature-focused learning, fostering a profound connection with the natural world while imparting essential skills in science. Kyle Golden is committed to instilling a lifelong love for nature and environmental sustainability among students. -
Joanne Rees
Joanne Rees is an educator with more than 25 years of experience working with students in and out of the classroom. She has spent the past 17 years teaching math in the Beaverton School District, with the last 14 years teaching higher maths within the Summa program. She spent three years with the Oregon Mathematics Leadership Institute doing graduate-level work. She holds a BME from Alverno College.
Class will be a place where students are challenged to explore problems, make conjectures, and generalize ideas to create meaningful problem-solving strategies that will develop into lifetime skills.
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Jennifer Rose
Jennifer is a professional writer with more than 20 years' experience in education. Her publishing credits include language arts, social studies, and science elementary textbooks, and she has expert knowledge of the standards by which students are tested. She has classroom experience teaching creative writing, college preparatory writing, and ELL. She received her Master of Arts in Creative Writing from New York University.
Course(s) to teach:- Level 2/3A: Strength-Focused Writing Workshop + Grammar - Grade 2/3
- Level 4A: Strength-Focused Writing Workshop + Grammar - Grade 4-5
- Level 5A: Strength-Focused Writing Workshop + Grammar - Grade 5-6
- Level 6/7A: Strength-Focused Writing Workshop + Grammar - Grade 6-7
- Level 7/8A: Strength-Focused Writing Workshop + Grammar - Grade 7-8
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Andrew Sturm
Andrew Sturm holds B.A in Physics and Master of Arts in Teaching in Science Education - Physics. Mr. Sturm has been teaching grades 9, 10, 11 and 12 with courses from Earth and Space Sciences, Astronomy, College Prep, AP Physics 1 and AP Physics C for 5 years in high school.
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Drew Liu
Drew Liu holds a Chemistry P.hD. from Cornell University. Dr Liu has many years experience for teaching Chemistry in College.
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Jeffrey Chan
Jeffrey Chan holds a Bachelor of Science in Statistics and Data Science with Honor and Scholarship from University of California, Santa Barbara. His PHD research is focusing on Machine Learning, Data Science, Markov Chain, Monte Carlo, Markov Chain Monte Carlo, Stochastic Process, Applied Machine Learning / Data Science in Finance, Hyperdimensional Data Analysis, Deep Learning, and Financial Modeling.
Beyond his research work, Jeffrey has been enjoying teaching computer science and math classes to young students for a few years for example: computer programming, Date structure and Algorithms, C++, C, Python, Assembly, Applied mathematics to real world applications, Data Science, Machine Learning, Artificial Intellgent etc. -
Craig Kaercher
Craig Kaercher holds a B.A. in Computer Science and he has more than 15 years of teaching computer programming experience as the adjunct faculty in universities. -
Vicky Shu
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Brenda Andrus
Brenda graduated with a Masters Degree in English from BYU. She taught Freshman English during grad school and tutored in the BYU Writing Center during undergraduate studies. She has tutored students reading, writing for over twenty years. She ran Battle of the Books and Book Club at her children's elementary school for many years. She is also proficient at research writing, textual analysis, and personal narrative writing.
She has helped many students prepare for college entrance tests and draft their admissions essays. For both the SAT and ACT she specializes in the English and Reading sections, as well as the essays.
She would like all students to improve with practice and knowledge of basic strategies. She doesn't believe in the fixed mind-set of "I am a bad test taker" or "I am a bad writer." She encourages students to adopt the mind-set of constant improvement through dedication and practice: "I am still learning."
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Julie Hlad
Julie has a Ph.D. from the University of California, Riverside, and over 10 years of experience helping students succeed in English. She has taught English Literature at the high school and college levels and loves to help students understand literature. She also taught writing in both high school and college and has great methods that help students improve quickly and become confident writers.
She likes to make learning fun, and her methods of teaching writing are particularly effective. She helps students with their essays for lots of classes from middle school through grad school but especially English, AP History, AP Art History, Humanities, and Philosophy.
She finds helping students improve their SAT and ACT scores and write winning college entrance essays very rewarding. The materials she uses for improving reading, vocabulary, and grammar skills work quickly to improve scores, and she has some great success stories.
Course(s) to teach:- Essay Writing + Grammar II-A - Grade 10-12
- Literary Reading & Analytical Writing II-A - Grade 4-6
- Literary Reading and Analytical Writing III-A - Grade 6-9
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Mia Hicks
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Michelle Stansell
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Debby Dodds
Debby Dodds has been teaching Standardized Test Prep strategies for over 20 years. She began her career working for the largest test prep company in Southern California in the 1990s: Ivy West. She tutors for both the ACT and the SAT, all sections, as well as for the SSAT, ISEE, HSPT, APs, SAT 2s, GMAT and GRE. When Sylvan Learning Centers acquired Ivy West, Debby was flown all over the country for a year to facilitate tutor training sessions. She has also done Research & Development for many other test prep companies, creating study materials, and spiralling tests. She taught test prep courses in over 25 different Los Angeles Unified Schools.
She is also a professional author and teaches Creative Writing classes in many Portland venues. Currently, she teaches summer courses at Catlin Gabel and works with students in the Teaching and Learning Center on campus year-round. She runs a popular test prep course for both the SAT and ACT at Riverdale HS. She also works with a few private clients for academic tutoring, writing skills, Test Prep, and college application guidance. She received her BFA from NYU and her MFA from Antioch University.
Debby Dodds has taught creative writing classes for Newport, Oregon's Writers on the Edge (summer 2015), Willamette Writers Conference (2015 and 2016), Catlin Gabel (11 years), Antioch University, The Empty Stage and The Fulton Opera House. She's the author of the soon-to- be-released novel Amish Guys Don't Call (Blue Moon Publishers, spring 2017) and has stories in many anthologies including My Little Red Book (Twelve) and SheWrites. My Mom and The Dead, a story about taking my mom to a Grateful Dead concert, appears in the anthology series Thin Threads. She was interviewed on CBS Sunday Morning on 4/21/13 for a piece featured in the Amazon and Barnes and Nobel bestselling, Things That You Would Have Said (Penguin, 2012). Aregular contributor and was the Fiction Editor to The Living Dead magazine, she's also been published in The Sun, Portland Family Magazine, FlashesintheDark.com, Stumptown Underground, The Crimson Crane, Zinkzine.com, and twice in Hip Mama. Ahumor essay was editor's pick on Salon.com and another appeared April 2016 on xoJane. -
Tami Bake
Tami Bake holds a Secondary Education Certification and has more than 20 years teaching and tutoring experience with different ages group of students.
Tami has been teaching for Reading, ITBS Reading and CogAt test preparation for SUMMA about 5 years at Sunshine Elite Education. She is also specialized in teaching English reading/writing, college readiness/Advanced Placement writing and ACT/SAT test preparation.
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Randall Martinez
Mr. Martinez holds an M.A. in Communication Studies. He is a professional speech/debate coach for more than 10 years, coaching the public speech and debate for middle school, high school, and college students.
Mr. Martinez also has a lot of experience coaching and lead the high school competitive debate team. He has resurrected a dormant debate team to national prominence in Lincoln-Douglas, Policy Debate, Public Forum, and Student Congressional Debate. He coached students to win the Harvard, Emory, Glen brooks, University of Florida, and tournament of champions.
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Elizabeth Lawry
Elizabeth Lawry received her M.A. from the University of Oregon in Communication Disorders and Sciences in June 2020. Although she is not practicing as a speech-language pathologist at Sunshine, she is a language and communication specialist with a particular interest in developing the public speaking and discourse skills of her students. She has more than 5 years of teaching experience and was a competitive Toastmaster in South Korea where she taught English for two years. Her goal is to help students express themselves and their ideas as effectively as possible while teaching stress-management strategies before, during, and after a speech.
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Shawn Preston
Shawn Preston holds a BS of Environmental Science degree and a MS in Environmental Science with focus on climate impacts. He has experience teaching math and science for middle school to high school students. He has had internships with NASA and USGS and currently hold position as a Physical Scientist working for NOAA.
Course(s) to teach: -
Lalith Lulla
Lalith Lullia, holder of a Master's degree in Accounting, has discovered a deep-seated passion for imparting knowledge in mathematics. Over the course of several years, he has dedicated himself to the noble pursuit of teaching and tutoring mathematics.
Course(s) to teach:- F1: Number to Algebra - math 6/7 - learn ahead for middle school math placement test
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Adley Robbins
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Curran Gregory
Curran Gregory is a Art and Design major with extensive experience in teaching young children. Presently, he is working at the Sunshine Elite afterschool program, where he specializes in instructing kids in Reading, Writing, and Art, activities he thoroughly enjoys.
Course(s) to teach:- CogAT Test Prep for 3rd Grade
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Tristan Barthel
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Alina Tudorica
Dr. Luminita Tudorica is an esteemed academician, having obtained a Ph.D. in both Nuclear Physics and Physical Chemistry. Her expertise extends beyond research, as she has also contributed her knowledge as a dedicated high school teacher, specializing in math and physics. Driven by a profound passion for education, she finds immense joy in the art of teaching.
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Tyler Bortel
Tyler Bortel holds a bachelor of Physics from Reed College. Tyler is currently in P.hD of Pysics program. He loves teaching math for middle/high school students. -
Jay Berezhnoy
Currently employed at NW STEM Hub - Oregon, Jay Berezhnoy serves as a program specialist. Prior to this role, she held the position of program manager for FLL and FTC Robotics at ORTOP - Oregon Robotics Tournament & Outreach Program.
Having devoted 10 years to coaching in the field of robotics, Jay excels in organizing FLL and FTC competition robotics teams. Her passion and expertise make her a highly sought-after individual in this domain. Jay has been invited by Sunshine Elite to lead the formation and development of FIRST Robotics program.
Course(s) to teach:- Robotics Competition - FTC Team Gear - Jacket 2024
- Robotics Competition - FTC First Tech Challenge Team Meetings - Grade 7-10
- Robotics Competition - FTC Team Gear - T-Shirt 2024
- Robotics Competition Team Grade 7-12 - FTC team Information Meeting
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Charles Schulien
Mr. Charles Schulien is FIDE international Chess master and he is a professional Chess coach for more than 20 years.
Mr. Schulien coached many students who are Champions in the State Chess tournaments. He coaches the competitive Chess teams, teaching Chess in different schools like OES, and he also offers private lessons to students at Bethany area.
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Jerry Sherrard
Hello there! I’m Jerry Sherrard, a USCF Candidate Master, and an experienced chess coach and teacher. I
love to teach chess, especially to starting players, because it’s a great feeling to help them to be on the
right track for their future chess success.
I earned the USCF CM title in 2014, and have achieved a peak rating of over 2100 USCF. My greatest
personal achievement was a victory over the reigning Oregon Champion, which I published in NW Chess
magazine. I have coached chess in groups and 1-on-1 since 2012. As of 2023, I am teaching both online and in-person sessions, as well as group classes and camps. I am also a USCF TD, and have been running rated events.
I teach in the style based on Classical chess principles, such as controlling the center, and active piece
development. I teach with systematic drills of tactical patterns, and repetition of key concepts. I stress thinking rather than memorizing, as well as learning from mistakes, and the importance of being
objective. I urge students to focus on growing as a chess player, rather than just gaining rating points.
I use a wide range of resources to teach, including analyzing their own games, as well as the games of
strong players. For my more advanced students, I use the approach and methods that were used by my
own grandmaster coach to boost their chess potential to the maximum.
Fun Fact: I also love robotics, engineering, and math!!
Course(s) to teach: -
Tie Li
Li Tie was born in 1964 in Beijing. He holds the Master of Fine Arts degree. He is proficient in all kinds of Chinese and Western painting materials including oil paintings, drawings, prints, Chinese paintings, watercolors, acrylics, sculptures, etc. Li Tie held many personal exhibitions and group exhibitions at the galleries and museums in U.S. He has a high artistic attainment.
In art education, Li Tie advocates attaching importance to student's personality and characteristics of various age groups. He cultivates students' interests and hobbies in the art in a variety and open manner and improves students' overall artistic quality. In terms of methods, he advocates more guidance than indoctrination and gives more encouragement to help them build their self-confidence. His art studio inspires children's own characteristics and creativity and improves their ability to express themselves through hands-on activities.
Here is LiTie's professional website: http://www.litiefineart.com
【画家李铁】
李铁,生于1964年北京。美术硕士。精通中西各种绘画材料包括油画,素描,版画,国画,水彩,丙烯,雕塑等等,风格具象,题材多为人物,风景。在美国的画廊,美术馆多次举办过个人展览和群体画展。具有很高的艺术造诣。详情可以到李铁老师的网站了解:http://www.litiefineart.com
在艺术教育上主张重视学生的个性,以及各个年龄段的特点,以多样,开放的形式培养学生对艺术的兴趣和爱好,提高学生的整体美术素质。在方法上主张多引导而不是灌输,多给予鼓励以帮助她们建立自信心。启发孩子们自身的特点和创作性,通过实际动手来提高自我表现的能力。
Young Instructors
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Gopal Goel
Meet Gopal K. Goel, an exceptional student from Portland, OR, currently pursuing his studies at the prestigious MIT.
Gopal's accolades in various academic competitions are nothing short of remarkable. He was a valuable member of the 2020 USA International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) team, earning a IMO silver medal for his outstanding performance. Notably, in 2018, he was an essential part of the USA International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) team, where he earned a IPhO gold medal for his exceptional prowess in physics.
Not only has Gopal excelled in competitions, but he has also demonstrated a commitment to sharing his knowledge and expertise with others. For over three years, he has been tutoring mathematics at the AIME and USAMO levels, as well as physics at the USAPhO level, helping aspiring students hone their skills and achieve success.
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Noah Walsh
Meet Noah Walsh, a promising individual from Portland, Oregon, who is currently pursuing his studies in the esteemed Mathematics department at MIT.
Noah's dedication and talent in mathematics were recognized on an international level when he secured the coveted gold medal at the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) in 2021. This prestigious achievement highlights his exceptional problem-solving skills and mathematical acumen.
With roots in Portland and wings reaching the academic heights of MIT, Noah's journey exemplifies a dedication to both personal growth and giving back to the mathematical community through teaching and mentorship.
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Ram Goel
Ram Goel, growing up in Portlan, Oregon, is currently study in MIT.
Ram's mathematical talent has shone brightly in various competitions. In 2019, he qualified for the prestigious MathCounts Nationals, where he displayed remarkable skills, securing a spot in the top 12 and participating in the coveted Countdown Round. Additionally, Ram's consistent brilliance earned him qualifications for the USA(J)MO in 2019, 2020, and 2021. Notably, he received an Honorable Mention on the USA(J)MO in 2020 and qualified for the esteemed Math Olympiad Program (MOP) in 2021, further affirming his exceptional abilities in the field of mathematics.
Beyond his impressive competition achievements, Ram actively engages in mathematics research through the esteemed MIT PRIMES-USA program, delving into cutting-edge mathematical explorations.
However, Ram's passion extends beyond personal pursuits. He finds great joy in teaching, dedicating over three years to tutoring math at the AMC and AIME levels, both in private settings and as part of the Pacific Math Association. His commitment to education and mentorship is further evident as he leads the Oregon Harvard-MIT Math Tournament (HMMT) Team, guiding and inspiring fellow students to excel in the realm of mathematics.
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Anay Aggarwal
Introducing Anay Aggarwal, a remarkable high school student currently attending Jesuit High School in Portland, OR.
Anay's passion for mathematics has led him to excel in numerous State and National Level Math competitions during his middle school years. He has showcased his prowess in challenging contests such as MATHCOUNTS, AMC/AIME, USAJMO, ARML, and the USA Mathematical Talent Search. Notably, in 2022, Anay's leadership skills shone through as he captained the winning team for Oregon at the MATHCOUNTS State Competition.
An outstanding achiever, Anay has qualified for the prestigious USAJMO and achieved top honors by securing the first position nationally in the USAMTS (USA Mathematical Talent Search). His exceptional abilities have earned him a place on the Distinguished Honor Roll for the AMC 10 twice, and he has successfully qualified for the AIME three times.
Apart from his high achievements in math competitions, Anay has proven himself to be a talented teacher. Since 2020, he has been actively teaching and tutoring young students in mathematics, sharing his knowledge and inspiring others to explore the fascinating world of numbers.
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Andrew Su
Andrew Su is a bright high school student attending Westview High School, with a passion for both math, programming and basketball.
His journey in these fields began early, with notable achievements back in 5th grade. Andrew secured a gold medal in the Math Olympiad (MOEMs), claimed the first-place title in the ACSL Programming competition at the state level, and demonstrated his strategic prowess by attaining second place in the State Chess tournament.
His enthusiasm for math competitions continued to grow, leading him to qualify for the State MathCounts competition in 6th grade. Andrew played a pivotal role as a team member of the State MathCounts Champion Team in 2022. He earned the prestigious Honor Roll distinction in the AMC10 and qualified for the challenging AIME in 2023, further highlighting his mathematical prowess.
In recent times, Andrew has been dedicating more time to the sport. As a valuable team player in the Westview High School basketball team and a committed member of Team Progress, a private basketball club, he embraces teamwork and camaraderie on the court.
Andrew has generously shared his knowledge and passion for math and programming by tutoring students in various levels, including Math Olympiad for Elementary, PreAlgebra, Algebra, and up to Algebra 2, since the COVID pandemic. His ultimate goal is to inspire others to delve into the captivating world of numbers and programming, fostering a love for these subjects in his peers and young students.