Math, Music and Magic: The 10th annual Livorno Math Carnival
LIVORNO, Italy – The Friday before DCAS testing usually brings a mix of nerves and quiet review, but not at Livorno. This past week, the cafeteria was transformed into a sea of costumes, cheering, carnival music and math games for the 10th Annual Livorno Elementary Middle School Math Carnival.
Founded a decade ago by middle school math teacher Villet Ferreri, the carnival was designed with a brilliant mission: to prove that "test prep" doesn't have to be a chore and can be FUN. The Math Carnival transforms math review into an exciting, carnival‑style experience for students in grades K–8, blending academic practice with fun, teamwork, and school spirit.
The scene was nothing short of electric. While students competed in teams and individually, the local community stepped up to support. Darby members and parents arrived in full costume to run the game booths, allowing students to focus entirely on the fun.
The atmosphere was a masterclass in collaborative learning. Students could be heard screaming with joy over a correct answer or huddled in intense "critique sessions" as they helped teammates troubleshoot incorrect calculations. It wasn't just about winning prizes – it was about the thrill of the solve.
The success of the carnival rests on the shoulders of the Middle School Carnival Committee, who spent weeks creating the math review games, designing the signs, organizing prize stations, and setting up the logistics for the volunteers. Students rotated through math games that targeted number sense, geometry, expressions, problem solving, and critical thinking. Favorites included Rubbery Ducky, a Blackjack‑21 style game using rubber duckies to practice number sense; and Coordinate Race, which challenged players to plot points in all four quadrants while using absolute value to determine length, perimeter and area on a life-sized coordinate grid. The energy was electric as math became a shared celebration rather than a test‑prep task.
Seeing students across grade levels laughing, cheering one another on, and joyfully engaging in math made the day unforgettable. After 10 years, the Livorno Math Carnival continues to prove that learning can be both meaningful and memorable.
Special thanks to the Middle School Math Carnival Committee members:
Kailani Aquino, Melanie Ayala, Emma Hayward, Amelia Chavez, Dhlyan Rivera, Brevan George, Tommy DiSario, and Conner Hertlein.
