Students in the Paynesville Area High School and Middle School competed in the 31st Annual Math Contest on March 28 at St. Cloud State University (SCSU).The 12th grade team placed fourth out of 26 high school teams competing. “Paynesville was the only single “A” school in the top 10,” Bill Brinkman, math instructor, said. The sophomore and junior class math teams both placed in the top 10. The freshman class did not place in the top 10.
“The tests are meant to be difficult,” he said. “Each test consists of 35 questions. Nobody is expected to finish the tests as they are meant for the best and brightest students.” The students are only given an hour to complete the test. All students were allowed to use a hand-held calculator on the test.
The team score is decided upon by the top three individual placings. Tim Lieser scored a 22, missing the top 20 percent by one question. Jennifer Hedeen and Jennifer Lindquist also scored high for Paynesville. Hedeen, enrolled at SCSU for 1998, received a scholarship for her placing.
The top three place finishers in the junior class were Kurt Habben, Rachel Gifford and Jason Krupke. The top three in the sophomore class were: Megan Nyffeler, Amanda Reeck, Jaime Robertson and Leon Fuchs (Fuchs and Robertson tied); and freshman class, Becky Gardner, Jon Millner and Erica Geier.
“Our students were competing against the top math schools in the state. I’m proud of where we finished,” Brinkman added. Brinkman said in his 19 years at Paynesville, this is the highest (fourth place) the school has ever placed.
Representing the freshman class were Becky Gardner, Erica Geier and Jon Millner.
The middle school had 19 eighth graders taking part and 16 seventh graders. “We were at a disadvantage as most of our students haven’t had algebra yet,” Murry Rafferty said. The eighth grade team placed 16th out of 25 teams.
The top eighth graders competing were Scott Buermann, Jake Nyffeler, Laurie Barten, and Rebecca Rondeau. The top seventh grader was Scott Wendroth.