Middle Schoolers from Across Long Island Compete in North Shore Math Invitational
On April 2nd, middle schools from around Long Island joined North Shore Middle School for the Math Invitational. Director of Mathematics, K-12, Dr. Kimberly Mattes said, “I was impressed with the students' willingness to take on challenging math problems and their ability to collaborate with one another. The energy in the room was one of excitement. I want to give a special thank you to Ms. Frayler who was a tremendous help in organizing the day. We are looking forward to future competitions!”
STEM Challenge: After opening remarks, students were given an engineering design problem with a set of materials and design constraints to start the day! They were asked to design and build a solution within a time limit. Collaboration and communication were critical to each team’s success. They had to be open to one another’s feedback and willing to revise their ideas.
The Math Problems: The math tournament took place over the course of one school day. Students put their thinking and teamwork skills to the test with three rounds of mathematical problems: the Individual Round, Team Round, and Mix-Up Rounds. The math problems used were designed by the Math Olympiad for Elementary and Middle Schools organization (MOEMS) and follow the Olympiad style of non-routine problem solving. No calculators were permitted. Following competition rounds, North Shore High School students and educators led students in a discussion of the solutions, exploring new ways of reaching the answers and inviting students to share their problem-solving strategies with their fellow budding mathematicians.
The Awards: Finally, top scorers competed in an exciting Tiebreaker Round. Winning teams were recognized with Math Olympiad trophies specially designed and 3D printed by our very own North Shore Mathletes! In addition, all attendees received certificates to commemorate their participation and honor their hard work. Congratulations to all! Go Vikings Go!
Thank you to Dr. Mattes and all the math teachers from the North Shore Schools and schools around Long Island for orchestrating this amazing day of math! It was a challenging and educational experience that was favored by all students in attendance. Please ask your middle school students about the MS Math Invitational and the various math problems that they had to find solutions to!
Article written with assistance from Dr. Kimberly Mattes, Director of Mathematics, K-12
Photos by Dr. Mattes and Shelly Newman