Robertsville Middle School in Oak Ridge won best overall score and was recognized for being the top school in the eighth-grade level at the Tennessee Middle School Math Competition recently held at Pellissippi State Community College. Pictured from left to right are Mrs. Spurling (teacher), Quinn Bader, Logan Rumbaugh, Kaitlan Paine, Carinne Cheney, Abbey Greenhalgh, Andrew Whitus, Ben Kelley, Curtis Roberston, and Becky Hanaver. (Submitted photo)
More than 600 students from 40 area schools competed for the honor of being named the top middle school math students in East Tennessee.
The 2013 Tennessee Middle School Math Competition, now in its 13th year, was held recently at Pellissippi State Community College and was sponsored by Oak Ridge Associated Universities.
Farragut Middle School in Knoxville walked away with the No. 1 team ranking for the best overall score in both the sixth- and seventh-grade team categories. Robertsville Middle School in Oak Ridge took the No. 1 team ranking for the eighth-grade team category.
The first-place individual winners for top overall scores included Jeemin Kim, Farragut Middle School in Knoxville, sixth grade; Joseph Andress, Jefferson Middle School in Oak Ridge, seventh grade; and Quinn Bader, Robertsville Middle School in Oak Ridge, eighth grade.
The 60-minute, multiple choice, and short answer tests that the student competitors took were unique for the sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade levels. Pellissippi State math professor Jonathon Lamb designed the tests in collaboration with site coordinators from colleges across the state of Tennessee.
During the past 13 years, more than 7,500 middle school students have participated in the program’s activities, which seek to keep young students inspired about mathematics. The Pellissippi State Foundation received a $17,000 grant from ORAU to support the competition, and trophies and gifts were presented to the top 20 students in each grade and to the school with the highest overall score for each grade.
“Hosting a middle school math competition of this scale would be impossible without the continuing support of ORAU,” Lamb said. “As many budgets appear to be shrinking in this tough economy, we are fortunate once again to have the opportunity to host the largest middle school math competition in the Southeast.”
In addition to the competition, students also were treated to lunch and participated in several recreational activities, such as music, games and a laser tag area. At the end of the event, an awards ceremony was held to recognize the contest’s winning individuals and teams.
“More and more schools around the region are providing extracurricular programs for mathematically gifted middle school students,” said Dean Evasius, ORAU vice president and director of Science Education Programs. “Events like this one help keep students motivated and excited about learning math; Pellissippi State has done an excellent job in growing and expanding this competition into the regional success that it is today.”
Results from the 2013 Middle School Math Competition
Individual students won prizes ranging from $500 for first place to $10 for 20th place.
Sixth-grade individual winners:
- Jeemin Kim—Farragut
- Bill Andress—Jefferson (Oak Ridge)
- Henry Shen—Jefferson (Oak Ridge)
- David Joy—Robertsville (Oak Ridge)
- Will Hong—Farragut
- Kevin Chen—Farragut
- Elliot Fang—Farragut
- Steven Qu—Jefferson (Oak Ridge)
- Ben Joo—Farragut
- Daniel Zetterberg—Farragut
- Andrew Brady—Jefferson (Oak Ridge)
- Nick Brison—Farragut
- Jessie Li—Farragut
- Melody Guo—Jefferson (Jefferson City)
- Erika Yang—Farragut
- Kenny Moon—Jefferson (Oak Ridge)
- Elizabeth Babb—Bearden
- Will Thorley—Farragut
- Eli Snyder—West Valley
- Ethan Brady—Jefferson (Oak Ridge)
Seventh-grade individual winners:
- Joseph Andress—Jefferson (Oak Ridge)
- Ryan Hart—Farragut
- Eric Wang—Farragut
- Justin Smiks—Farragut
- Caleb Bradley—Farragut
- Adithyan Sujithkumar—Robertsville (Oak Ridge)
- William Yates—Christian Academy of Knoxville
- Lawrence Zhang—Jefferson (Oak Ridge)
- Austin Gardner—West Valley
- Ethan Duckworth—Karns
- Katy Jackson—Coulter Grove (Maryville)
- Brian Byerly—Cleveland (Cleveland)
- Subaru Ishikawa—Coulter Grove (Maryville)
- Morgan Scott—Bearden
- John Klett—Cedar Bluff
- Mason Seitz—Coulter Grove (Maryville)
- Kevin Chen—West Valley
- Naama Friedman—Bearden
- Amy VanderMerwe—Cedar Springs
- Kaitlyn Knight—Maury (Dandridge)
Eighth-grade individual winners:
- Quinn Bader—Robertsville (Oak Ridge)
- David Garber—Jefferson (Jefferson City)
- Samuel Barber—Christian Academy of Knoxville
- Alex Levi—Episcopal School of Knoxville
- Jessica Hyun—West Valley
- Lily Turaski—home school
- Lily Gao—Farragut
- Jackson Smith—Cedar Bluff
- Will Westwick—Midway (Ten Mile)
- William Lewis—West Valley
- Dakota Jackson—Maryville Jr. High (Maryville)
- Gabe Kim—Farragut
- Logan Rumbaugh—Robertsville (Oak Ridge)
- Carter White—Farragut
- Jake Bunch—Maury (Dandridge)
- Robert Arcario—Farragut
- Justin France—Maury (Dandridge)
- Carlos Arias—Jefferson (Oak Ridge)
- Zane Shepherd—Cedar Springs
- Mary Emily Lawyer—Episcopal School of Knoxville
Note: If the location of the school is not noted above, it is located in Knox County.
Trophies also were presented to three schools with the best overall scores for each grade level for the competition, including the following:
Sixth grade: Farragut Middle School
Seventh grade: Farragut Middle School
Eighth grade: Robertsville Middle School
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