Join us in celebrating the people who make First in Math special.
An annual award given to the #1 Player First in Math player across all grades!
The 2025 #1 Player — All Grades — in the First In Math® Online Program is Florence Kim! As the top player, she earned more than 108,000 Stickers on her way to the First In Math National All Star award. Florence is currently enrolled in fourth grade at Southern Highlands Preparatory School, a Spring Education Group school located in Las Vegas, Nevada. As a third-grader she placed third in the 2024 National competition among all grades. "Florence is a remarkable young lady," explains First In Math creator Robert Sun. "Not only is she the #1 player in the nation among more than one million active students, but she did it as a 10X Grand Champion! Her accomplishments show tremendous focus, dedication, and strategic thinking skills. Florence has mastered the crucial ingredient for long-term success — joyous perseverance." Florence enjoys math — and of course solving math problems! To achieve her First in Math Championship goal, she decided to work on the website's multitude of math problems every day when she had extra time. She also loves reading, especially Harry Potter and Roald Dahl books, as well as snowboarding and figure skating. She hopes to compete in figure skating, with the Olympics as a possible future goal. The forward-thinking fourth-grader already has her sights set even farther into the future: she wants to be a surgeon!
Players
Florence Kim (NV) Aarush Kaithi (NJ) Samuel Lazarre (NJ) Manuel Platel (NY) Gaelle Alexandre (NY) Autumn Betham (PA)
Team Leaders
Brian Vallinino (NY) Stephanie Piccola (NJ) Timothy Bickhart (PA) Nicole Colarte (NY) Viviana Garcia (NY) Kimberly Henry (PA) Timothy Bickhart (PA) Tanya Fuller (NY) Meghan Pearce (PA) Francisco Gomez-Guerrero (NY)
Schools
Lime Kiln Elementary (NY) St. Francis Desales School (PA) Wedgwood Elementary School (NJ) Thomas Fitzwater Elementary (PA) Bridgeport Elementary (PA) Alexander II Magnet School (GA) Fort Washington Elementary (PA) Goodnoe Elementary School (PA) Jarrettown Elementary School (PA) Tracy Elementary School (PA)
Top Educator Players
Jeffrey Markham (PA) Mary Higgins (PA) Ashlene Quinn (PA) Brian Villinino (NY) Susan Costenbader (PA) Gregory Holzhauer (NY) Kathleen Foster (PA) Timroy Shaw (GA) Tracy Buttars (NY) Jennifer DiMarzo (OH)
2025
A monthly award given to an educator who has been actively talking about math achievement on social media channels.
April
Pennsylvania State Senator 18th Senatorial District, Northampton & Lehigh County, PA
2025
March
Pennsylvania State Senator 24th Senatorial District, Montgomery & Berks County, PA
2025
February
Director of K-12 Curriculum & Instruction Southern Lehigh School District, Center Valley, PA
2025
December
Third Grade Teacher, Claremont School Ossining Union Free School District, Ossining, NY
2024
November
Director of Elementary Education, MSD of Steuben County MSD of Steuben County, Angola, IN
2024
September
Grade 4 Classroom Teacher, Marvine Elementary School Bethlehem Area School District, Bethlehem, PA
2024
May
Grade 4 Classroom Teacher, Marvine Elementary School Bethlehem Area School District, Bethlehem, PA
2024
April
4th Grade Teacher, Fort Washington Elementary School Upper Dublin School District, Maple Glen, PA
2024
March
Principal, Franconia Elementary School Souderton Area School District, Souderton, PA
2024
February
Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction & Technology Glen Cove City School District, Glen Cove, NY
2024
January
Principal, Bridgeport Elementary School Upper Merion School District, Bridgeport, PA
2024
December
Assistant Superintendent Nazareth Area School District, Nazareth, PA
2023
An annual award given to educators who exemplify Lola's spirit.
2010
Cherylene McClendon of Joseph Pennell School in the School District of Philadelphia was presented with the inaugural Dr. Lola J. May Award as the #1-Ranked TLP in the nation, besting nearly 14,000 of her peers in 2009/2010 National competition.
Silver Medal
Bronze Medal
Dr. Lola J. May (1923-2007) was a noted mathematics educator, consultant, author and producer of audio-visual materials. A pioneer in mathematics education and an early proponent of the new math educational process, May was beloved by her students, and became a household name among mathematics educators.
