Hey Knights, we have the opportunity to congratulate fellow Knight, Dean Brasen, on his accomplishments. Dean is a sophomore and has qualified for the Mathleague National Championship that will take place in June of this year. Math League is the largest network of local and state math competitions at the elementary, middle, and high school levels in the United States and abroad with more than 400 competitions annually. Congratulations to Dean and his accomplishments, we interviewed Dean to ask how the process went and how the experience was for him.

Q. What was it like realizing you had qualified for the National Championship this June?

A. It was very exciting to know that I qualified for the national championship as the competition only takes the top three individuals from each grade and the top three teams qualify with me qualifying by the former. I didn’t expect to actually do that well, but I am excited and committed to keep going and do well in the national championship

Q. What does the typical math competition look like and how do they work?

A. Usually before COVID, math competitions were in person and involved a series of tests with different structures, complexity, and timing. Doing well on a combination of these tests allows you to qualify for the next level. This year the structure and testing were still the same but we’re all done online whether through zoom or a website to administer the test.

Q. What is the process of preparing for a math competition like?

A. Math competitions involve multiple subjects that use concepts that may or may not have learned at school at a much more in-depth level. If you aren’t comfortable with the rigor of it, I typically do practice tests to get a better understanding of how the test will work and what type of difficulty I am expected to have. Other than that, working on problems in various subjects in math is crucial to do well in these competitions. If you can master these concepts, you will do well in these math competitions.

It’s amazing to see our Knights succeeding in all aspects, even athletics, so make sure to congratulate Dean if you see him around campus and wish him luck this June! Stay safe Knights and remember to Strive for the Impossible and be extraordinary!