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.
January
BSI math Teacher, Wedgwood Elementary School Washington Township Public Schools, Sewell, NJ
2020
December
District Coordinator Klein Independent School District, Klein, TX
2019
November
Grade 5 Teacher Freemansburg Elementary School Bethlehem Area School District, Freemansburg, PA
2019
October
Grade 4 Teacher, Endeavour Elementary School North Hanover Township School District, Joint Base MDL, NJ
2019
September
3rd Grade Teacher , Asa Packer Elementary School Bethlehem Area School District, Bethlehem, PA
2019
April
School Performance Coach, Severn Elementary School Anne Arundel County Public School District, Annapolis, MD
2019
March
Grade 4 Classroom Teacher, Marvine Elementary School Bethlehem Area School District, Bethlehem, PA
2019
February
Elementary Curriculum and Instruction Specialist Newton County School System, Covington, GA
2019
January
Grade 4 ICR Teacher, Endeavor Elementary School North Hanover Township School District, Wrightstown, NJ
2019
December
Instructional Math Coach K-5, Tom R. Ellisor Elementary School Magnolia ISD, Magnolia, TX
2018
November
Math Specialist, Goodnoe Elementary School Council Rock School District, Newtown Township, PA
2018
October
Gifted & Talent Development Teacher, Slater Elementary School Atlanta Public Schools, GA
2018
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.
