Athipatana Iamphongsai

The Story

Although always enamored with mathematics and numbers, Athipana’s grades did not reflect this - the traditional ways of studying just did not fit how his mind worked. Thus, he changed his methods and started learning Mathematics through models. This change helped him to thrive in his studies. Athipatana hopes to use these past experiences to help others. He believes that everyone is capable of learning, but each person has their own unique learning style that suits them. Moreover, he believes that immediate action must be taken against the issue of children not receiving an adequate education, a problem which persists due to economic inequality and lack of attention and funding by the government, especially to rural, minority, and impoverished areas. In fact, statistics show that children from the poorest backgrounds are over four times more likely to not be enrolled in school than students from the richest backgrounds. Thus, economically disadvantaged children are unable to elevate their lives, while rich children reach new heights resulting in greater social inequality. 

With his passion for this issue of educational inequality, Athipatana initiated E^4: Equal Education Empowering the Economy to tackle the problem of education. As part of E^4, Athipatana is teaching underprivileged primary and middle school students Mathematics and English. Bearing in mind his understanding of individual learning styles, Athipatana employs tailored techniques specific to the student. Moreover, Athipatana aims to bring attention to the global problem of educational inequality through advocacy and awareness campaigns.

Besides his involvement with educational issues, Athipatana is also the president of his school’s public speaking club, where he is working on a program to assist policemen in communicating with expatriates and international tourists. Athipatana believes that the most important aspect of economic development is to cultivate the human mind and invest in upskilling of the population. Therefore, his activities are centered around assisting people and helping them develop new skills.

Athipatana aims to major in Applied Mathematics and Economics in the US and one day pursue a career in economic policy and development to improve the future of Thailand and other developing countries.