Catholic School Student Is a Math Whiz

Tags: Currents Brooklyn, NY, Catholic Education, Faith, Queens, NY

By Emily Drooby

Julius Dorsey, an 8th grade student at Saint Francis Xavier-Queen of All Saints Catholic Academy has been competing in the Brooklyn and Queens Math Bowl for six years.

Math Bowl is a competition between Catholic schools in the Brooklyn Diocese. It uses an online platform, Mathletics, to get kids excited about the subject using technology. It is a service of CTN.

For one week during the spring season, students earn points when they successfully complete math problems. The class with the most points wins.

“I love math,” Julius said, “math is one of my favorite subjects.”

And he excels in it, often helping his class get into the top five with his high scores.

This year, 19,000 students from 900 classes at 62 local Catholic schools competed.

“The school helped me strive because I know that you have to step up and be a leader because the school is counting on you and if they’re counting on you, you have to fulfill expectations,” said Julius, who started competing as a 3rd grader.

During the competition, he dedicates at least five hours a night to math problems. His success, tenacity and math ability have continuously impressed his teachers and parents.

“My wife and I are extremely proud of this young man” said Reginald Dorsey, Julius’ father.

“During the Math Bow, I was sitting and kind of challenging them, and before, it was kinda before I could even read the whole thing, he already had the answer,” said Julius’ math teacher Lisa Nitzsche.

“It was actually mind-blowing. Basically like, ‘how did you know this, that quick?’”

But Julius credited his parents, his school, and Mathletics for his success.

“I would like to thank Saint Francis Xavier-Queen of All Saints,” the Math Bowl winner said.

“I would like to thank them for giving me every chance, all the opportunities to be here and for helping me develop into the young man I am today.”