Bremerhaven Student Leads Math Triumph and Inspires Next generation
As of January 1, 2026, a remarkable story of academic achievement and mentorship is unfolding in Bremerhaven, Germany, as student Jizhe Ma and his team celebrate their success at the prestigious “Baltic Way” competition while simultaneously fostering the next wave of mathematical talent.
Jizhe Ma’s passion for mathematics is palpable. This year has been particularly momentous for the Bremerhaven student, culminating in a first-place victory at the “baltic Way” competition alongside four other students representing the northern German states. He thrives on the challenge of complex problems and collaborative problem-solving.
“Doing math together is more fun than alone,” Ma explained. “On the one hand, you have more success because you do better with more people, but conversely, the atmosphere is very nice when one person has completed the first part of the solution and the other has completed the other part.”
The “Baltic Way” competition, held in Riga, Latvia in mid-November, marked Ma’s first experience in the Baltic region, which he described as “simply exciting.” The journey involved early flights, excursions with fellow competitors – conducted entirely in English – and ultimately, the intense pressure of the competition itself. The team tackled 20 challenging problems spanning algebra, number theory, combinatorics, and geometry, achieving victory despite stumbling on one particular task.
This success has spurred a new initiative: a mathematics group designed to identify and nurture young talent within Bremerhaven. Recognizing the difficulty in spotting potential within the conventional classroom setting, educators are proactively seeking students with exceptional aptitude.
“at the beginning it wasn’t entirely clear how talented Jizhe Ma really is,he says himself,” noted a local educator. Though, his teacher, Katja Krämer, readily affirms his exceptional abilities. “however, it is not always instantly clear who can think outside the box mathematically and how well.” Krämer elaborated, “We thought for a long time about how we were going to find the talent, because that’s the most difficult thing, because in normal math lessons they don’t really stand out because – as is the case when they’re underchallenged – they sometimes make slight mistakes and you don’t necessarily find out.”
To address this challenge, Krämer and her team have implemented a talent training program, offering specialized working groups for promising students. Now, Jizhe Ma is taking on the role of mentor, guiding and inspiring the younger generation.
“And now Jizhe is the one who trains the younger ones. So he passes it on,” Krämer stated proudly. “With him the school is at its limits. He has now rea
News Report Additions & Edits (answering Why, Who, What, How, and the ending):
Why: jizhe Ma and his team competed in the Baltic Way competition to test their mathematical skills against other talented students from Northern Europe. The success of this team has also prompted a new initiative to identify and nurture young mathematical talent within bremerhaven.
who: Jizhe Ma,a student from Bremerhaven,Germany,led his team to victory at the Baltic Way competition.Key figures also include Katja Krämer, Ma’s teacher, and the educators involved in the new talent training program. The team consisted of five students representing the northern German states.
What: Jizhe Ma and his team won first place at the Baltic Way competition, a prestigious mathematics competition held in Riga, Latvia. Following this victory, a new mathematics group was established in Bremerhaven to identify and mentor promising young mathematicians.
How: The team prepared for the Baltic Way competition by
