During the Socorro Independent School District’s 2025 Math Bee competition in March, Thiago Carranza from Sgt. Jose F. Carrasco Elementary School had just three seconds to mentally solve problems such as 42 divided by 6 then multiplied by 8.
“Just before the buzzer sounded, I said ’56!’ and I was like so relieved,” recalled Thiago about that heart-pounding moment.
Soon after, the competition came down to Thiago and one other competitor. In a thrilling tiebreaker round, they raced against the clock to answer as many math problems as they could on paper in just one minute. In the end, Thiago proudly emerged as the district's fourth-grade Math Bee Champion, showcasing his hard work and determination to succeed.
“I felt proud of myself. I felt amazed because it was my dream always to actually win the Math Bee,” said Thiago, a straight-A student, who started fifth grade at the school in August.
In recognition of his outstanding accomplishments, Thiago was selected to recite the Pledge of Allegiance at the Socorro ISD Board of Trustees regular meeting in October 2025.
His achievement not only highlights his math skills but also serves as an example of how important opportunities are in empowering students to embark on new chapters in their lives.
“When you have a big opportunity at a small age, you can achieve big things at an older age,” Thiago said.
Since starting Carrasco Elementary School, Thiago has seized every new opportunity that comes his way. Last year, he represented the school at the district elementary science fair with his volcano experiment and won a gold medal in the UIL Art Smart competition. In the Gifted and Talented program, he built a balloon-powered car, showcasing his science and engineering skills. He also has received the school’s prestigious Buffalo Pride Award for three consecutive years.
Sol Carranza, his mom, highlighted how these activities have helped him become more self-assured and motivated him to engage more both in and out of school.
“All of that has definitely helped him be more confident and secure about himself,” Carranza said. “It’s hard being in front of people that are watching you. All these events have helped him with that confidence.”
Thiago began preparing for the Math Bee, which is open to students from kindergarten to fifth grade, two years ago in second grade. Participants solve problems using mental math within a designated time, and the student with the most correct answers in each grade level wins.
In third grade, Thiago demonstrated his exceptional math skills at the district’s Math Bee and was thrilled to place 15th out of dozens of competitors. After that amazing experience, he was more confident than ever as he prepared for this year’s competition, especially after an unforgettable practice battle with his top rival.
“Everybody would get hyped because we were both so good, but nobody knew who would win. I remember this one question where I was so surprised that I got it right: 7 multiplied by 8 and then divided by 2. When I got it right, I felt like I was ready for district. I couldn’t stop smiling for the rest of the day,” Thiago said.
Thiago has combined his passion for math and science with his love for soccer by playing in the district's Volunteer Sports Program. To boost his performance on the field and enhance his skills, he conducted an experiment involving soccer balls and mathematical principles.
“I figured that being a soccer player also involves math because you have to calculate where the ball is going to go and not just kick it,” said Thiago, who dreams of becoming a professional soccer player. “Everywhere you go, there's always science to it.”
He is excited to attend SSG Manuel R. Puentes Middle School next year with his brother, Diego Carranza. In the meantime, he wants to make the most of his last year as a Buffalo. He recently participated in the school’s science fair with a project comparing roofing materials for natural disasters, hoping to qualify for the district fair. He also plans to showcase his creativity and showmanship by participating in Destination Imagination. Depending on his busy schedule, he is also considering competing again in next year’s Math Bee.
“School is actually a big opportunity,” said Thiago, whose enthusiasm comes across every morning when he reads the school’s announcements. “It really helps you get creative, and it helps you learn more, and most of all, I really like it because you can easily make friends here because of everything there is to do.”