Crittenden County Schools Set Curve at MSCC Math Contest

West Memphis, Marion and West Memphis Christian high schools and Marion and West junior high schools captured first-place trophies in Saturday’s Arkansas Council of Teachers of Mathematics contest at Mid-South Community College.

WMHS prevailed in Calculus and Pre-Calculus/Trigonometry, and Marion and WMCS triumphed in AP Statistics and Algebra II, respectively. West Junior High swept the Algebra I competition, and Marion Junior High captured the Geometry title.

“This was my second year coordinating this event, and it was another tremendous success,” said Anthony Wilkinson, lead faculty for Mathematics at MSCC, who served as regional director. “The students had a wonderful time with the interactive activity that the University of Arkansas College of Engineering had to offer.

“It was indeed a pleasure to have Thomas Carter III, Assistant Dean for Engineering Academic and Student Affairs at the University of Arkansas, to conduct the activity along with his four assistants, including three who graduated from West Memphis High School.”

More than 140 students from Earle, East Junior High, Marion, West Memphis High, West Junior High, and West Memphis Christian School participated in the regional event. West Memphis Christian returned to the regional competition for the first time since 2009.

In the Algebra I category, Micah Smith of West Junior High placed first, and Kayla Parker and Byron Emerson of WJHS came in second and third, respectively,

In Geometry, Stanton Dillahunty of Marion Junior High won top honors, and Laith El-Bairoti of WMHS came in second.

WMHS’ Bryan Conston placed third. El- Bairoti won the Algebra II competition last year.

Andrea Beyer of West Memphis Christian prevailed in the Algebra II competition, and Mason Arnett (second) and Michael Hinson (third), both of West Junior High, followed.

Oscar Meneses of West Memphis High set the curve in the Pre-Calculus & Trigonometry competition with a first-place finish. He won the Algebra I contest in 2011.

Alexus Clarke and Abbi Moore, both students at Marion High School, took second and third, respectively in the 2014 Pre-Calculus & Trigonometry contest.

In the AP Statistics division, Jihan Esmail of Marion High School turned away all challengers to win the event, and Parker Grigsby of West Memphis High School, a third-place finisher in Geometry two years ago, placed second. Anna Reed Gately of WMHS finished in third place. She placed second in the 2012 Geometry competition.

West Memphis High School’s Buzz Hardin won the Calculus competition, and Ian Hargrove of WMHS came in second. Hardin finished second in Pre-Calculus & Trigonometry in 2013, and Hargrove placed third.

The subject-area tests reflected the vision set forth by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Principles and Standards for School Mathematics and the Arkansas Department of Education adopted frameworks. Questions focused on problem solving and conceptual understanding rather than routine manipulation.

First-, second- and third-place finishers in the regional competition qualified to participate in the state contest, which is scheduled for Saturday, April 26, at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. Other top finishers from the MSCC contest may also have the opportunity to advance, depending on how their scores compare with students in other regions throughout the state.

Top finishers from the contest at MSCC have often performed well in the state competition. Last year, David Zhong of West Memphis High School finished fourth in Geometry and earned an honorable mention. In 2012, Rachel Reece of WMHS earned an honorable mention in the statewide Statistics contest.

Following Saturday’s exams, students participated in a hands-on educational activity coordinated by representatives from the College of Engineering at UA-Fayetteville. This year’s challenge included the design and “construction” of a newspaper tower.

Students all received the same supplies (newspapers and duct tape) to complete the task. The winning structure came within inches of reaching the ceiling in the Wilson Conference Center in Magruder Hall.

For more information on math education/opportunities at MSCC, visit the campus at 2000 West Broadway in West Memphis, call the Admissions Office at (870) 733-6728, email admissions@midsouthcc.edu, or see the college’s website at www.midsouthcc.edu.