• In honor of today's celebration of the International Day of Women in Mathematics, 26 spoke with a teenager who dedicates part of her time to this science every day.

Las Tunas, Cuba.– Mayla María García Suárez is a tenth-grade student at the Vocational Pre-University Institute of Exact Sciences (IPVCE) in Las Tunas, and she is fully aware that fear only disappears if you face it. That's what she told me when we talked about her intense love for mathematics, a subject that has fascinated her since childhood and that –she also affirms– constantly prepares her for life.

“I always say that mathematics should be seen as an opportunity to learn; it develops logical thinking and can help you solve everyday problems. Because knowing where each equation comes from is a challenge that fascinates me, and every time I succeed, I feel that I have increased my reasoning ability.”

It all began with her father when she was very young; from him (the teacher of the dedicated students), she learned to love this science. “Every time I finished a problem, I felt like tackling another one, to keep going.”

Mayla took logic tests to get into the IPVCE in this province while still in junior high school, and now, as she's almost finished tenth grade, she's preparing for the national logic competition.

And not only that, but she also enjoys playing the piano and is dabbling in guitar. “I still have no idea what I'm going to study in the future, but I know I really like all this problem-solving and logic stuff, so I think I'll never completely disconnect from it. No matter what I choose, I imagine myself dedicating time to calculations many years from now as a way to stay active and learn more every day.”