A Win for Mathematics

At ACP, the Knights are constantly striving for greatness. Whether through joining intriguing clubs, trying out for demanding sports teams, or taking rigorous classes, the Knights are always searching for ways to sharpen their abilities and prepare themselves for the real world. That being said, the ACP-Erie math team put their mathematical skills to the test in Chandler-Gilbert Community College’s annual Excellence in Mathematics Competition last week, and freshman Kristen Myer won first place in Pre-Calculus. What a tremendous achievement for both Kristen Myer and the math team! Below is a brief interview with Kristen in regard to the competition and the accomplishment.

Q: So, what is the CGCC Excellence in Mathematics competition about?

A: The competition includes students in math classes from Algebra 1 to Calculus in grade levels 9th through 12th. During the competition, kids participate in individual and group tests, which both last for about an hour.

Q: Was the CGCC Excellence in Mathematics competition your first math competition?

A: I did math competitions in junior high as well.

Q: How does it feel to win first place in the pre-calculus competition at CGGC?

A: When I found out, I felt very excited. It was such a nice achievement!

Q: What did you do to prepare for the competition?

A: I went to math club every Tuesday morning. We did a ton of practice problems, which helped a lot for preparing for the competition.

Q: Do you think you may compete again next year? If so, what will you repeat or do differently next year?

A: Absolutely! I hope to continue to go to competitions and improve my math skills. I also plan on continuing to study and practice to keep everything fresh in my mind.

Q: Do you have any tips for other students who may be interested in competing next time?

A: Just keep practicing! Practice, of course, helps you improve your skills, and you can only get better. I also would also recommend joining math club and attending its sessions because it can really help you prepare for competitions.

Mrs. Craft, the sponsor of ACP-Erie’s math club, was very proud about Kristen’s accomplishments as well. Here are some of her thoughts:

Q: How many years have you been sponsoring the math club?

A: Hmm, since I moved over here in about 2013.

Q: Why do you think having a math club is important?

A: It gives students who are more math inclined an outlet, which is helpful in the case that some students may not be as inclined to athletics or other activities. Math Club allows the school to be more well-rounded in providing opportunities for all interests. Some of my students, for instance, are really good at math and they try athletics, and it is just not their forte.

Q: How do you help students prepare for competitions?

A: We look at the test from past competitions to see what kind of problems they are likely to have at the competition, and we look at some special tricks that are needed to finish the exams on time. Throughout the year, we have little mini-lessons on things that students may not see in math class but might show up on the test.

Q: What do you hope students get out of the competitions?

A: I like to have them get three things out of the competition. I hope that they learn how to work well with others, that learn something new, and that they have fun. On the off chance, if they do really well, they may get recognition from a college, but that is more of a long-term goal. Hopefully, the other goals come first.

Q: What was the most exciting thing about this year’s competition at CGCC?

A: For the last few years, junior high has been doing really well at the competition, but our high school has not been so lucky. We were really getting depressed when we heard all these prizes being called off, and ACP was not one of them. Then, first prize! We were not expecting it, and Kristen goes up there, and she was shocked herself. She has been coming to every practice and working hard, so it paid off for her.

Again, congratulations to the math team and Kristen Myer! Of course, a great thank you to Mrs. Craft for preparing our ACP-Erie math teams for competitions like CGCC. They put in hours upon hours of hard work into preparing for these competitions, and their effort truly shows. Seeing how much effort and passion they put into mathematics is very inspiring.