Imagine this: a basketball arena packed with families, teachers, and friends. A brightly colored web of hula hoops and ropes stretches across the floor. Student teams line up along the edge of the court—focused, excited, and ready. A buzzer sounds. One student grabs a math problem, rushes to her teammates, and they work through the solution together before she dashes into the Flagway course. Laughter and cheers fill the space. Welcome to Flagway.
This was the scene from May 19–21, 2023, when the Bob Moses Research Center for Math Literacy through Public Education at FIU, in partnership with The Young People’s Project (YPP), hosted the 7th Annual National Flagway Tournament at Florida International University. The event brought together students, families, educators, and community members from across the country to showcase an innovative approach to math education—one that is active, collaborative, and joyful.
Flagway is a fast-paced math game developed by civil rights leader and educator Bob Moses. In Flagway, students work collaboratively in teams to solve math problems and then use their answers to navigate a structured course. It’s a way of bringing math to life—through movement, quick thinking, teamwork, and a spirit of play. [Click here to learn more about Flagway]
The weekend activities began the evening before the tournament with What’s the Big Idea?, a special session where students heard from two mathematicians pursuing doctoral degrees. Daniel Adeniranye, an engineering doctoral student at FIU, presented on the Pythagorean Theorem, and Cliff Freeman, a mathematics doctoral student at Boston University, spoke about algorithms. Students engaged actively with the presenters, asking questions and offering feedback, creating a dynamic conversation about math, learning, and opportunity.
The next morning, before the tournament began, students, families, and mentors participated in YPP’s Math Playground. Developed by The Young People’s Project and facilitated by YPP Math Literacy Workers, the Math Playground featured a range of activities designed for hands-on exploration and discovery. Participants engaged with mathematical ideas through play and movement, creating an environment that was welcoming, energetic, and focused on learning.
Syeda Ferdausi, an 11th-grade Math Literacy Worker from Miami Northwestern Senior High School, shared, "Math is the least liked subject in school, even though it is one of the fundamentals to higher education. Teaching that math is not only a sit-and-study thing, but can also be fun is important to opening up students’ minds. I know I had fun learning all these new math games and hope many more students get to share my experience in the future."
Following the Math Playground, teams moved into the main event: the 7th Annual National Flagway Tournament.
During the tournament, student teams competed in a series of timed rounds. In each round, students attempted to solve as many math problems as they could within the time allotted. Working collaboratively, they retrieved problems, discussed strategies, and raced through the Flagway structure to submit their answers. Quick thinking, accuracy, and teamwork were essential to their performance.
Family members, teachers, and community members filled the stands, offering steady encouragement and applauding the students’ efforts. Throughout the competition, students demonstrated not only mathematical ability, but also leadership, collaboration, and persistence.
This year’s tournament welcomed teams of elementary, middle, and high school students representing a wide range of communities:
- Academia Avance (Los Angeles, CA)
- Alliance Piera Barbaglia Shaheen Health Services Academy (Los Angeles, CA)
- Cambridge Street Upper School (Cambridge, MA)
- Baltimore Algebra Project (Baltimore, MD)
- inSTEM DePaul University (Chicago, IL)
- Lauderdale Lakes Middle School (Lauderdale Lakes, FL)
- Margate Middle School (Margate, FL)
- Olsen Middle School (Dania Beach, FL)
- Putnam Avenue Upper School (Cambridge, MA)
- Virginia State University (Petersburg, VA)
Students worked in teams coached by high school and college students trained through the Young People's Project. This near-peer model provided leadership opportunities for older students while offering younger participants guidance and encouragement.
Dr. Joan Wynne, founder of the Bob Moses Research Center, shared: "Every time I watch the youngsters playing flagway, their excitement on the court is contagious. I find myself, alongside parents and math literacy workers, cheering for them as if I’m at a football game. Those gleeful moments remind me of the genius of Bob Moses’ vision to develop and patent this game in 1995 to teach young folks and their communities the fun in ‘doing’ math. A long time sports enthusiast, even an earlier basketball coach, Bob foresaw the beauty and utility of combining math games with sports. Long before others understood the essential need for math literacy in all communities, he imagined a novel path to involve parents in supporting their children in learning math. His brilliance never ceases to strike awe in me."
The 7th Annual Flagway Tournament demonstrated how collaborative, community-centered approaches to learning can help students build confidence, skills, and a sense of belonging in mathematics. By hosting the tournament, the Bob Moses Research Center continued to carry forward Bob Moses’s vision: a future where math literacy opens doors, strengthens communities, and ensures that every young person can fully participate in society.
The photos included in the story were provided by the Miami Herald. To see more photos from the tournament, click here.