High school math students shine at Alfred University competition
More than 100 students from area high schools visited the Alfred University campus last week for the annual W. Varick Nevins III High School Math Competition.
The competition is sponsored by the Division of Mathematics and Computer Science in Alfred University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Competing students hailed from western New York school districts including the Alfred-Almond Central School District, the Corning-Painted Post Central School District, the Hornell City School District, and school districts in Livonia, Honeoye, and Addison.
Alfred University math and computer science faculty developed the exam questions, with individual faculty members submitting proposed questions and the group then meeting to determine which questions would be included on the examination.
In the senior category of competing students, Corning-Painted Post student June Park placed first and won a $100 cash prize and a four-year $10,000 scholarship to Alfred University ($2,500 each year for four years). There was a three-way tie for second place in the senior category: Kallen Miller of Livonia, Kouki Yatani, Alfred-Almond, and Kilik Emir, Addison, each of whom won $50 cash awards and $8000 four-year scholarships. Logan McGregor of Hornell took the third-place award in that category with a $6000 four-year scholarship and a $25 cash award.
In the junior category, Alex Kim of the Corning-Painted Post school district won the first-place award and a $100 prize. Nicolas Gray of the Hornell school district won second place honors and a $50 award, and Derek Guo of Corning-Painted Post took third place, with a $25 cash prize.
The W. Varick Nevins III High School Math Competition is open to all high school students. According to organizers, the competition aims to “challenge the problem solving and critical thinking skills of high school students, and to inspire and promote excellence in mathematics.” Questions contained in the exam are based on the first three years of the high school mathematics curriculum. Use of calculators is not permitted during the examination period.