Abacus Graduate is accepted into NYC's most selective public High School and qualifies for over $157,120 in scholarship From Three NYC Private High Schools. His Secret? 5-Minute Mental Math and Consistent Habits

Charlie, a Genie Academy Abacus graduate from Staten Island has been accepted into into Staten Island Technical High school, regarded as New York's number one public school. and has also qualified for over $157,120 scholarships from three NYC's private high schools. According to his father Nick Maniscalco. Staten Island Tech offered seats to only 287 of the approximately 26000 students who took the SHSAT in the fall. That is a 1% acceptance rate. 

This monumental achievement stems from habits and routines set by his parents at a very early age. They set routines for 5 minutes of Mental Math daily when Charlies was taking abacus classes at Genie Academy (then Math Genie). We spoke to his mom Marie-Paule  on the significant impact of productive habits, particularly a daily 5-minute mental math routine, on Charlie's long-term success.

Older Charlie standing next to his Hall of Fame poster when he got into NYC's ultra selective Gifted & Talented program in 2017

Charlie entered Genie Academy’s abacus math program at a tender age of 3 years 9 months old. Within 4 years, he graduated from the abacus program, a remarkable feat for his age. However, sustaining academic excellence over the long term poses a different challenge altogether. While Charlie has a solid foundation for success, the question is, how can he sustain the momentum?

This is where the transformative power of habits made all the difference for Charlie. Habits compound over time and Charlie’s mom, Marie-Paule, knows how important they are for his growth. Small, positive actions performe

d daily can lead to significant results in the long run. It also lays the foundation for discipline and responsibility later in life. Because of this, she started instilling positive habits in Charlie since he was 3 years old with 5 minutes of mental math daily. 

“We started with simple problems in the book and then it progressed to 4 or 5, then eventually 10. We set that up every morning, couple problems at night. It helped reinforce everything.” Marie-Paule said. 

Moreover, his parents would set up a weekly calendar to schedule his homework and extracurricular activities. It gives their kids structure so they can accomplish their tasks without feeling overwhelmed. “We had set up reminders and a schedule. It only took a few weeks or so [for Charlie to get used to them].” At first, she would set up a calendar on the wall until it already became second nature for Charlie to check his schedule himself. 

His parents’ commitment to these habits led to Charlie’s incredible achievements and long-term success. In a few years, Charlie was accepted into the prestigious NYC Gifted and Talented program, a program so selective that it only has a 6% acceptance rate!

Then, a decade later, he scored in the 99th percentile on the entrance exams and as a result earned FULL scholarships of over $157,000 to three prestigious High Schools. Xaverian High School in Brooklyn, Monsignor Farrell High School in Staten Island and St. Joseph by the Sea High School in Staten Island. He also secured a spot in one of the best and most selective high schools in NYC, Staten Island Technical High School. It has an acceptance rate of 1%, even smaller than Harvard's! These back-to-back achievements not only secured his educational future but also meant significant savings for his parents.

Marie-Paule saw how Charlie's consistent practice with the abacus significantly contributed to his long-term academic excellence. By honing his skills with the abacus daily, Charlie developed a strong foundation in math that served as a springboard for more advanced concepts. This solid groundwork made it easier for him to grasp complex ideas, enabling him to excel in his studies. 

Through the years, Charlie also improved his determination and discipline because of his routines. Marie-Paule mentioned that since setting them up, motivating Charlie was never an issue. “It’s all part of his routine throughout middle school…he’s always had these activities set up. It might change days or rehearsal[s] may change for the year but as soon as those are set up, he’s pretty much on autopilot, which is great because I don’t have to remind him.”

Today, Charlie does his homework independently, even if he has different things going on throughout the day. “He keeps his own routine…he has timeframes wherein he needs to finish an activity so that he can move on to the next.”

For parents struggling to motivate their children, she shares her recipe for success: “Set up a schedule, have a visual reminder, and stick with it to the best of your ability,” she says. “It’s understandable that things get in the way, like holidays and family get-togethers so the schedule goes a bit off. But as much as possible, return to that schedule so that the kid understands that you have to take responsibility for the priorities in life.“ 

Indeed, with the transformative power of habits and routines, Charlie would scale higher peaks in the future. We’re privileged to have witnessed your continual growth, Charlie! Keep shining brightly in high school!