On April 5th the Math Team would head off to state, this would be a huge competition for these students, not only being challenged in math but also in teamwork. Mr.Harlow and Mrs. Howerton are in charge of the club.
When asked “What did you learn from the state competition that you can apply to future math challenges or competitions?”, Caden Green (11) stated “I learned that math is a complex world and the professionalism I see here is something I’ll see in the future. Never give up; always ask for help; be ready to approach something in ways you’d never foreseen.” This just shows how determined these students are and how anyone can succeed if you put your mind to it. These mathletes would work extremely hard at state and make their coaches extremely proud.
In such a competitive environment, teamwork allows team members to combine their skills and knowledge to solve complex problems and tackle challenging tasks. Mr. Harlow stated “would keep a busy practice schedule this season, full of 7:30 am practices, lunch practices, after-school practices, and a few evening practices. On the Friday we leave for state, we run a full contest in the driver’s ed. classroom before we get on the bus. We also took one test on the bus as they traveled to Bloomington.”
The Algebra I team consisting of Logan Groves, Sylvia Johnson, Michael Bergman, Asher Barlage, and Lizzy Freeman placed 4th overall.
The Geometry team of Tyler Dodson, Jack Parrish, Nolan Gentile, Braden Davis, Liam McGill, and Sarah Johnson placed 7th overall.
The Freshman-Sophomore 8-person team of Tyler Dodson, Jack Parrish, Nolan Gentile, Sarah Johnson, Logan Groves, Sylvia Johnson, Michael Bergman, and Asher Barlage placed 7th overall.
The Calculator Team of John Braid, Joshua Jones, Chase Lannom, Evan Wiggs, Nolan Gentile, Liam McGill, Logan Groves, and Sylvia Johnson placed 5th overall.
The Freshman-Sophomore 2-person team of Tyler Dodson and Jack Parrish placed 7th overall.
The Junior-Senior 2-Person team of Nathan Abba and Vince Champion placed 4th overall, earning a spot in the prestigious 2-Person Demonstration round in front of a packed auditorium.
Overall, the Tigers finished 10th in Division 2A. Among public schools, that’s good for 4th (each of the others have enrollments > 995, and one finished 7th in the state in a higher division last year).
Motivation is a huge part of this team Mr. Harlow states “I’m not one to shy away from giving a good motivational speech or a “let’s go, team!” rally before a contest, but we’re lucky to have very self-motivated students. They understand the goal they’re out to accomplish is a big, meaningful task, and with it comes honor and prestige. They also know that teams before them have performed well, and they have a responsibility to uphold the legacy of those who have come before them.”
Mr. Harlow and Mrs. Howerton are very proud of those who practiced for state and other competitions for months. By working together, team members can solve problems better, support each other, and have a greater chance of achieving their goals. It’s all about unity and collaboration to make it through the challenges of the competition.
