Approximately 300 students of the 11th and 12th grades of Riga schools will gather on 5 November at the "Fantadroms" event centre to participate in the logic and ingenuity game "Riga Puzzle Day" for the fourth time. The game is based on a methodology created at Harvard University, where young people need not only mathematical and logical thinking, but also the ability to collaborate, look for unconventional solutions and look at problems from different angles.
"The atmosphere and hospitality of "Riga Puzzle Day" remain the most memorable – a treat, an orderly yet lively space that allowed the mind and ideas to spark. The tasks themselves are unique, as they intertwine mathematics, computing, linguistics and other fields. You don't have to think within just one subject here, and that's what makes this experience so special. Logical thinking alone is not enough to win – creativity, imagination and concentration are needed. "Riga Puzzle Day is a great opportunity to test how much connection your mind can see and how far together with vivid imagination it can take," says Krišjānis Timermanis, winner of last year's Riga Puzzle Day from Riga State Gymnasium No. 1.
For the fourth year in a row, the game for secondary school students "Riga Puzzle Day" is organised by Riga Municipality in cooperation with the content implementer RTU Riga Business School and partners – the project "Code4Europe" and SIA "Rīgas ūdens".
"Difficult situations, non-standard solutions, out-of-box thinking are commonplace nowadays, but finding solutions requires a well-trained logical mindset and the ability to work in a team. Riga is at the forefront of hosting the fourth edition of the Riga Puzzle Day game, which attracts so many young people. It suits Riga to lead by example and set high goals – just like young people who will perform complex jigsaw tasks this year. Good luck for all," says Vilnis Ķiris, Deputy Chairman of the Riga City Council.
Puzzle Day is part of the broader CS50 approach of Harvard University's world-renowned computer science course, which is implemented in Latvia by RTU Riga Business School. During the four years since the first Riga Puzzle Day event, the initiative has expanded beyond the capital, with similar logic games taking place for students in Ogre, Sigulda, Cesis and Valmiera.
“The ability to find the right answer is important, but even more important for young people is the ability to understand how to get there. "Riga Puzzle Day" teaches young people not to be afraid of tasks for which there is no obvious solution, to experiment, cooperate and look at the problem from different points of view. Such skills will be increasingly important both in future studies and in professional life," says Claudio Rivera, Head of Bachelor's programmes at RTU Riga Business School.
Riga's 11th and 12th grade students are invited to participate in Riga Puzzle Day. Information on the application has been sent to 58 general secondary education institutions subordinate to Riga municipality, with more than 7,800 young people studying in 11th and 12th grades in total.
Riga Municipality will provide valuable cash prizes to members of the best teams – 900 euros for 1st place winners, 600 euros for 2nd place winners and 300 euros for 3rd place winners.
Students who wish to participate in Riga Puzzle Day must apply to their class teacher or school management.
More information about Riga Puzzle Day: https://rbs.lv/en/event/riga-puzzle-day-4/
Information prepared by: Iveta Bulāne, Project Coordinator, External Communication Division, Riga Municipality Communication Department, e-mail: iveta.bulane@riga.lv