Math competition winners announced

Trine Scholarships are prizes

 

The team from Marion High School in Marion, Ind. claimed first place in Trine University’s 35th annual High School Math Competition Wednesday, while a Coldwater, Mich., student was individual advanced winner.

The Marion High School team of Aneesh Rajmaira, Daniel French, David Harvey and Andrew Schoer earned top honors and a renewable $3,000 Trine University scholarship each. The honor netted their teacher, Doug Porter, $1,000 to use for mathematics education.

A mathematics team from Marion High School earned top honors and $3,000 scholarships in Trine's 35th annual High School Math Competition Wednesday. With them at left is Bill Barge, chairman of the Trine Department of Mathematics & Computer Science. At right is Dr. John Shannon, dean of the Jannen School of Arts & Sciences.

Yi Xin Xu of Coldwater High School was individual advanced winner in Trine's 35th annual High School Mathematics Competition Wednesday. Congratulating Xu on her win, which earned her a $5,000 Trine scholarship, is Bill Barge, chair of the Department of Mathematics & Computer Science.

Yi Xin Xu of Coldwater High School, the individual advanced winner, was awarded a renewable $5,000 Trine scholarship. Shelby Aschliman of Adams Central High School was the individual elementary winner.

Taking second place in the team competition were David Shaffer, Elyse Brogon, Kelsey Karapas and Kyle Bevier from Clinton High School in Clinton, Mich. Their teacher, Ron Schaffner, was awarded $500 for math education in his classroom. The second place individual advanced and elementary division winners, respectively, were Kody Brotemarkle of West Noble High School and Clayton Tonner of Adams Central High School.

Claiming third place team honors were Yu Zheng, Dereck Gilbert, Andrew Kieffer and Kevin Weirauch of Ayersville High School in Defiance, Ohio. The win earned their teacher, Rosie Kieffer, $250 to use for teaching mathematics. The third place individual advanced winner was Shannon Huey of Clay High School in South Bend, while Jason Delaney of Coldwater High School was third place individual elementary winner.

Professor Bill Barge, chair of Trine’s Department of Mathematics & Informatics, praised educators and schools whose teaching inspired their students to travel long distances to test their mathematics skills. In all, 17 schools from Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan competed, including South Bend Clay in the northwest corner of Indiana and Marion at mid-state. Tippecanoe Valley from Akron in western Indiana attended for the first time, while Ayersville in Defiance, Ohio, made a sixth trip to the competition.

The scholarships for students and education stipends for teachers benefit participants, while the university benefits from attracting talented mathematics students to the campus. The students appreciate a challenge beyond the high school level, Barge said.

The competition involves the entire Trine mathematics department, and they devote themselves to it passionately. “It’s more than just a tradition,” Barge said.