Cheney Middle School students participate in math challenge

Several students from Cheney Middle School, West Fargo, participated in the regional Math Masters of Minnesota Challenge at Horizon Middle School in Moorhead on March 16.

They included: Tanner Zepeda, Josh Jaskowski, Elisabeth Kolb, Jerell Beatty, and Elijah Orvik, with Kelly Holaday their advisor/coach; and Kinsey Erickson, Abi Kuznia, Kallie Cummings, Lincoln Kranz, and Alex Johnson, with Brandy Sellden their advisor/coach.

Holaday's team placed eighth overall, with Tanner Zepeda taking first place in Drill and Practice and fifth place in the Individual Round.

Nineteen teams of students competed on eight sets of mathematical problems in the competition.

Math Masters of Minnesota began as a fifth grade math competition program in 1989 with teams from 44 schools taking part. In 1995, the program was expanded to include sixth graders and this year there are approximately 5,000 fifth and 6th graders registered to compete. Schools are encouraged to involve as many of their fifth and sixth grade students as possible in the use of the Math Masters packet of challenge preparation materials. A team selection test is provided to assist coaches in choosing students to represent their schools. Math Masters is designed to promote excellence in critical thinking skills and problem-solving abilities as well as provide recognition to students for academic effort and achievement.