“I actually got fourth place in the world!” said Francis Du, a soon-to-be fourth grader enrolled in the Program for Exceptionally Gifted Students (PEGS) at Lindbergh Schools’ IDEA Center.

This year, children from all over the world competed in the international Math League competition, both online and at the in-person event in Bali, Indonesia. Scoring fourth in the individual category was South County’s own, math-loving Francis.

Francis competed from the comfort of his home on July 7, though he was required to wake up early — at 1:15 a.m., to be exact — due to the time difference from Indonesia. Though still dark out, he positioned himself at his computer and began the Zoom-proctored test, which posed a litany of advanced math questions — some of them packaged into word problems with aliens and adventure. But Francis’ father, Dang Du, emphasized that despite the fun word problems, much of the content surpassed his own, and many other adults’, level.

The competition welcomed children from countries including Indonesia, Japan, China and New Zealand, according to Dang; he says he could not count how many nations were represented. 

“I feel like a superstar,” Francis said. “Maybe I should participate in the next level, if there is a next level. Maybe the interplanetary level!”

At school, Francis is in “the purple group,” which he says is currently learning seventh-grade math, including cumulative probability and introductory algebra. In addition to the far-above-grade-level math he learns in class, Francis also participates in the extracurricular math club; Dang says it’s good for him to be around like-minded students, doing practice problems and having fun along the way.

Competitions like Math League are Francis’ family’s way of fostering his skills outside of school. Dang believes that, even in the advanced program, Francis has surpassed what the school can offer him. 

“Frankly, this is a means for us to demonstrate to the school that he needs more opportunities,” Dang said. “He needs more forms and channels to continue learning advanced math, because he’s tapping out at the curriculum level.”

This summer, Francis is taking individual, online math courses. He enjoys creating ciphers and engaging in math outside of school with math tutors and parental support. 

“It’s a continuous journey of growth,” Dang said. “It takes a village, too, for him to get to this point.”