WESTON, FL—Marc Horowitz is a former math teacher and current Curriculum Specialist at Indian Trace Elementary who has shepherded many children on to math success, but none more so than his own son, who recently appeared as a contestant on the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire game show.
According to Horowitz, the adventure began when he sent in an application for his son to audition for the show. “When we were contacted, we were in shock,” laughs Horowitz. “Charles interviewed and auditioned via Skype, and before we knew it, he was chosen to be a contestant on the show.”
Horowitz says the experience was an incredible one, from stepping onto the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire stage in Las Vegas for the first time, to meeting host Chris Harrison. “Every step of the process was exciting, although a bit nerve wracking.”
Charles was decidedly less nervous, and enjoyed being on stage. “Even though I experienced how stressful facing the cameras can be, I was confident, because my friends supported me the entire way, saying they knew I would do great.”
His appearance on the show created a lot of buzz, but a clip of Charles solving a difficult math problem went viral nationwide after it was posted on the show’s Instagram account. (View clip here)
So where did Charles learn the ‘mad math skills’ that Harrison spoke of after the 13-year-old calculated the correct solution to a difficult a math problem? His proud father takes some credit, but says he had an ally in the process.
“I strongly believe that First in Math was a driving force in my son’s early academics, as he participated in the program for four years,” explains Horowitz, whose classroom teams placed #1 in national competition in both 2009 and 2010. “First In Math helped him build the basics for all functions of math, as well as algebra and solving for variables.”
According to Horowitz, one of the best things about First In Math is the fact that it is an enriching activity. “That means I was able to go beyond what was instructed in class with Charles, and with many of my other students, as well.”
Charles is now 14 years old, and completing 8th grade. His hobbies include playing the clarinet, participating in National Junior Honor Society projects, and participating in environmental volunteer work around his school.
What does Charles think about his brief brush with stardom? “There are a lot of behind-the-scenes things I learned about—and it was one of the best experiences of my life!” Final Answer.