MathCounts headed to the American Fidelity competition in Oklahoma City. Although the team didn’t win a trophey, the team participants walked away with more knowledge and a desire to compete again.
In all, 14 DMS students competition in the MathCounts competition. Those students were Jaylee Hornbeak, Parker Sanders, Kayan Patal, Canon Atchley, Huck Petersen, Layton Toomey, Nacona Lawler, Harper Ford, Izabel Millan, Jackson Simmons, Natalie McNabb, Brayden Nguyen, Weston Cox and Gabriel Hernandez. Stacey Smith is the team’s adviser.
MathCounts is an academic team, where students compete against team members from other schools. The DMS group is made up of seventh and eighth-grade students.
In the competition, there are four rounds: the sprint round, the target round, the team round and the competition round.
“It helps me learn things I wouldn’t learn in a normal class,” eighth-grade team member Hornbeak said.
During the competition, students get a light breakfast, snacks, drinks, lunch and T-shirts. There are breaks between each round. And of course, trophies are given to those who made it to the competition round.
Although Duncan didn’t get a trophy this time, the team got one when they competed in Lawton.
Sanders, an eighth-grade team member, said he likes to win, but he also just likes being part of MathCounts.
He said MathCounts is fun when the team members place and more people should be on the team because there is more possibility to place in the competitions.
Sanders said said team does impact the students and their academics.
“I get more practice with higher level intelligence.”
Millan is one of the seventh-grade members of the team.
She said that MathCounts works by students answering random questions. She said she likes the group because she gets to hang out with her friends.
Millan said it’s also a great learning experience for the middle school students.
”You can learn from your mistakes,” she said.
