Student from Rio Grande do Norte got all the questions right in the Kangaroo Mathematics competition; video of the mother’s celebration moved social media users.
A medal won in a mathematics competition became a symbol of the daily effort of a family from Extremoz, in the Metropolitan Region of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte. Samuel received an honor for getting all the questions right on the test, a result celebrated by his mother, Lilian, in a video that gained traction on social media.
The student’s performance would already be reason enough to celebrate. The story, however, drew even more attention after Lilian shared that she raises three boys alone and walks approximately three kilometers on foot every day to take them to school.
The walk is part of the routine adopted by the mother to ensure her children have access to education and better opportunities in the future. By sharing Samuel’s achievement, she linked the boy’s result to the sacrifices faced by the family.
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“I am a single mother of three boys and we walk about 3 km every day so they can have a better education,” she reported.
Samuel got all the questions right on the test
Samuel participated in the Kangaroo Mathematics, an educational competition that stimulates logical reasoning and problem-solving among students of different educational levels.

The student got all the questions right and received a Medal of Honor. Proud, Lilian posted a video celebrating her son’s performance and asked others to congratulate him as well.
“Congratulate my son Samuel, who didn’t miss a single question on the national Kangaroo test. Among various schools, he was the best and won the Medal of Honor,” the mother wrote in the post.
The footage shows Lilian walking down the sidewalk while celebrating the result achieved by the boy. The spontaneity of the moment and the account of the family routine contributed to the content being shared by users from different regions of the country.
Achievement represents the effort of the mother and children
For the internet users who followed the story, the medal represents more than just a good school result. The tribute also came to symbolize the persistence of a mother who faces a tiring routine to keep her three children studying.
Messages of support and admiration were directed to both Samuel and Lilian. Many users highlighted the mother’s role in creating the conditions that allowed the student to develop his potential.
The case also highlights how family support can influence school performance. Despite transportation difficulties and the responsibilities of single motherhood, Lilian keeps her children’s education a priority.
Competition encourages interest in mathematics
The Kangaroo Mathematics is part of an international initiative aimed at popularizing the subject. The tests present challenges that require interpretation, strategy, and reasoning, going beyond the direct application of formulas.

The proposal is to spark students’ interest in mathematics and identify skills related to problem-solving. Achieving maximum performance, as Samuel did, demonstrates mastery of the content and the ability to handle different types of questions.
The medal now holds two achievements: Samuel’s performance in mathematics and Lilian’s persistence, who travels kilometers every day believing that education can open new paths for the three boys.
Watch the video:
With information from Só Notícia Boa

