Record-breaking Results for Math Challengers
Five schools represented the Greater Victoria School District at the Provincial competition this month.
Math Challengers gathered on Friday, April 26 to celebrate their performance at Provincials.
Students within the Greater Victoria School District achieved their best results yet at the Vancouver Island Zone Provincial Math Challengers competition.
鈥淭hese students are just brilliant,鈥� said Neal Johnson, Math and Science teacher at Mount Douglas Secondary School (Mount Doug) during a celebration on April 26. 鈥淚t鈥檚 inspiring to see the work ethic and passion of our senior students and how they motivate the grades below them. There is a growing passion among students wishing to challenge themselves and apply their high aptitude in mathematics.鈥�
This year, the day-long competition for Grades 8, 9, and 10 was held at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver on Saturday, April 13.
鈥淚t was kind of hard,鈥� said Grade 8 Glanford Middle School student Cameron Smith about the competition. When asked what he wants to do when he grows up, the 9th provincially ranked student said, 鈥淪omething in the medical field.鈥�
The competition consisted of two individual rounds, one team round, and a face-off round of challenging problems including geometry, number theory, probability theory, algebra, and problem solving鈥攖opics that, for most students, exceed the curriculum for their grade level.
鈥淚 am blown away by the individual talent and teamwork,鈥� says Donna Thompson, Principal at Mount Doug. 鈥淭heir dedication is contagious and I鈥檓 so proud of them. The invested staff, volunteers, and parents that contribute their time to seeing these students excel makes me so proud.鈥�
After the competition, organizers review how to best work through the problems that had the lowest overall scores.
鈥淚t鈥檚 heartwarming to hear the collective 鈥榓hs鈥� from the students during this portion of the competition,鈥� says Heather Brown, Vice Principal at Mount Doug. 鈥淚t means the students are eager to understand the areas in which they may need to improve upon.鈥�
Students practice for months for this high-energy and intense (and fun!) competition. Many receive weekly coaching sessions delivered by senior high school students at Mount Doug who volunteer their time to train and support students at Gordon Head, Cedar Hill, Arbutus, and Lansdowne. Many of these students use their lunchtime and after school to hone their skills.
鈥淔orty-three students from the Vancouver Island Regional earned eligibility for the Finals,鈥� says Leo Neufeld, Math Challenger Organizer for the Vancouver Island zone. 鈥淭his is by far our largest number of advancing students ever. Congratulations to you all!!鈥�
Math Challengers celebrated their success with a one-of-a-kind cake and team clothing.
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Island competitors invited to the provincials this year are as follows:
Grade 8听
- Arbutus Global Middle School 鈥� Team (SD61)
- Glanford Middle School 鈥� Team (SD61)
- St. Michaels University School 鈥� Team
- Gordon Head Middle School 鈥� Individual (SD61)
- Cedar Hill Middle School 鈥� Individual (SD61)
- Royal Oak Middle School 鈥� Two Individuals
Grade 9
- Mount Douglas Secondary School 鈥� Team (SD61)
- Claremont Secondary School 鈥� Team
- St. Michaels University School 鈥� Team
Grade 10
- Mount Douglas Secondary School 鈥� Team (SD61)
- St. Michaels University School 鈥� Team
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More Information
- Learn more about Math Challengers:
- Challenge Program at Mount Doug:
- Clubs at Mount Doug:
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