JORDAN Theoc, a grade six student of Sts Peter and Paul Preparatory School, is the 2012 winner of the University of the West Indies (UWI)/Insurance Association of Jamaica Vivian Rochester Memorial Junior Mathematics Olympiad.

Jordan received the highest score in the grade six category, outperforming 228 other students in the final round of the competition on May 25 at UWI, Mona.

"I feel very good. I feel humbled because I never expected that I would have done this good," said the 11-year-old boy, who will attend Campion College in September.

He was speaking with the Jamaica Observer following the announcement of his victory at the awards ceremony, held at the Hope Botanical Gardens and Zoo on July 7.

"I have to thank my teachers and my parents and most of all, I have to thank God," Jordan added.

For his efforts, he was awarded a book voucher valued at $15,000.

Grade six students Jada Harrison from Mona Preparatory School and Micayah Ritchie of Lyssons Primary School also walked away with prizes. Harrison was awarded for scoring the second highest while Ritchie received the prize for scoring the third highest. Harrison and Ritchie received book vouchers valued at $10,000 and $5,000 respectively.

Students from grades five and four of schools across the island were also recognised as gold, silver and bronze medal winners at the ceremony. For grade five, Bob Deng of Belair Prep, Daneel Lunan of Lluidas Vale Primary and Daniel Robertson of Belair Prep were awarded gold, silver and bronze respectively. They received book vouchers valued at $15,000, $10,000 and $5,000.

Amari DeSouza and Daniel Griffiths of Mona Preparatory School and Tahjae Jackson of Barracks Road Primary School were awarded as first- second- and third-place winners in the grade four category. They received book vouchers valued at $15,000, $10,000 and $5,000 respectively.

Another 30 students received the Merit Awards for scoring in the top five per cent on the final day of the competition, which was designed by the UWI, Mona's Department of Mathematics.

In 2011, the department organised the first competition, in honour of the late Vivian Rochester, former executive director of the IAJ. Rochester led the first efforts to expand the national mathematics competition in Jamaica in the 1980s.