On February 9, the awards ceremony for the 2nd Ecuadorian Statistics Olympiad was held. Organized by ESPOL’s Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (FCNM) in collaboration with the Ecuadorian Statistical Society, the event was aimed at high school students from across the country. The initiative seeks to strengthen statistical literacy in schools and introduce young people to the real-world applications of statistics and its professional opportunities.
This year's edition brought together 552 students from 54 educational institutions, who competed in two stages: an individual online round and a team-based phase, during which participants developed and presented projects before a panel of expert judges. The jury included leading professionals in the field, such as Eva María Mera, Executive Director of the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC), and Xavier Vítores, Vice President of the Ecuadorian Statistical Society, among others.
Throughout the competition, participants strengthened key skills such as data analysis, teamwork, argumentation, and the use of technological tools—competencies that are increasingly essential in today’s academic and professional environments.
Natalia Molina, a student from Colegio Alemán Humboldt in Guayaquil, participated in the Olympiad for the second consecutive year and highlighted the growth of her skills since the first edition.
“I have really enjoyed participating over these two years, especially seeing how much we have progressed. My team and I have been able to see how much we have improved,” she said.
She also encouraged future participants to develop their proficiency with digital tools as part of their preparation.
Meanwhile, Gerson Rivadeneira Saltos, a student from Academia Naval Almirante Illingworth and a member of the winning team in the group category, emphasized the educational value of the experience.
“I believe competitions like this are extremely important because they encourage students from across the country to keep challenging themselves, improve their academic performance, and strengthen their problem-solving abilities.”
Through this initiative, FCNM, together with the Ecuadorian Statistical Society, reaffirms its commitment to promoting statistics at an early stage within the educational system, helping prepare young people to meet the challenges of an increasingly data-driven world.
