In a triumph that fills Brazil with pride and inspires youth across the country, 15-year-old student Luca Cataldi has emerged as the national champion of Mathématiques Sans Frontières, the world’s largest interclass mathematics competition. Representing the first year of high school at the prestigious German School Colégio Cruzeiro, Luca achieved first place among all participating Brazilian schools, showcasing not only academic excellence but also a rare talent for logic and numbers.
Created by the Académie de Strasbourg in France, Mathématiques Sans Frontières promotes not just mathematical reasoning but also teamwork, multicultural awareness, and the ability to apply knowledge in real-world, global contexts, a true test of intellectual collaboration in an increasingly interconnected world.
Like mother, like son
But Luca’s brilliance didn’t appear by chance. It is the result of a childhood shaped by affection, intuition, and unwavering presence. He was raised with full dedication by his mother, Claudia Cataldi, a journalist, professor, and author with degrees in Journalism, Advertising, Law, and Data Processing Technology. She also holds an MBA in Public Policy and Government and a Post-MBA in Marketing from COPPEAD/UFRJ, having been a United Nations fellow. Claudia is a graduate of the Brazilian War College (Escola Superior de Guerra), currently pursuing her PhD at the Naval War College, and teaches in the postgraduate program of ELERJ, the Legislative School of the State of Rio de Janeiro. She also serves as an international correspondent in seven countries and is widely recognized in the fields of communication, public policy, strategic thinking, and geopolitics.
With no support network, Claudia brought her children with her everywhere, interviews, libraries, television and radio studios, newspaper offices, even on work trips. Since they were babies, Luca and his brother Claus were immersed in intellectually and emotionally rich environments. They regularly visited libraries, handpicked by their mother so that the boys would develop a sensory and emotional connection to books, even down to the smell of the pages. That intense, vibrant routine became a living classroom built on affection, courage, discipline, and deep knowledge.
The outcome of this upbringing is clear. Both Luca and Claus Cataldi are now recognized authors, with award-winning books sold throughout Brazil since their early youth. Luca’s recent victory is not just an academic achievement, it is the natural result of a life shaped with purpose, where curiosity, creativity, and dedication were nurtured from the very beginning.
“It fills me with pride to see my son shine so brightly. But anyone who knows our story understands that this result was born from a genuine love of learning, lived and encouraged day after day,” Claudia says.
Luca’s success puts Brazil in the spotlight on the international stage and reinforces the vital role of the next generation, especially when nurtured with love and intention, in building a future rooted in education, science, and culture.