Nikko Le
Gold Achievement
Name: Nikko Le
School: Mission San Jose High School
City: Fremont, CA
Anzan Level: 7 Dan
Length of Learning: 13 years
Contest Results:
2024 Correspondence Test; League for Soroban Education in Milpitas, CA, 2nd place Anzan (April 2017); Abacus Masters in Portland, OR, 3rd place written, 1st place Anzan (May 2016); 2019 Global Cup Abacus Mental Arithmetic Championship; 16th Pan Pacific Abacus & Mental Arithmetic Competition in Korea, 1st (2016)
Scholarly Achievements:
Taken 17 AP/Dual Enrollment/College Level Courses across math, science, and humanities; 1550 SAT (750 Reading, 800 Math); Certificates of Excellence @ Dubai American Academy in Calculus, World History, English
Social Achievements:
Director of Students and Tutor @ California STEM Academy, taught SAT English and led Physics bootcamps; Duke of Edinburgh Award (Bronze & Silver), produced YouTube-style math videos and AP study guides, completed adventurous hiking journeys; Club Co-Founder of Brain CRAYN (service initiative at Dubai American Academy); Long-term competitive chess player and informal mentor to peers (USCF 1900+ rating, FIDE 1600); Team Spokesperson/Captain, Academic Games, led team of 4 to 1st place overall at the Middle East South Asian Conference (MESAC)
More titles you would like to state:
Men’s Doubles Badminton Champion at Middle East South Asian Conference (MESAC) 2023-2024; Member of school and summer swim teams, competed in multiple meets, over a decade of swim team experience
Testimonial
Most people would think that practicing abacus and mental math would only help at school. Yet, after almost 13 years of working with the subject, I can attest that this is not the case. Abacus not only gave me confidence throughout my early years with math and numbers in general, but also instilled discipline, patience, and resilience -- qualities that I would only come to fully realize later.
My abacus journey certainly did not have a linear progression, but with enough patience and effort, I've learned to trust the process. Looking back, I recognize frustrations I once felt during practice in my younger brothers and cousins, who are on their own abacus journeys. Watching them pick up the abacus, I’m reminded that this tradition is more than just numbers on a page; it’s learning to be comfortable with slow, imperfect progress. And while I don’t expect their path to look like mine, I trust that the same persistence I learned will guide them through their own journey.