Teen Math Whizzes Solve their Way to Victory

The mathletes of Dos Pueblos High School claimed top honors, beating seven other regional high schools at Westmont’s 36th annual Mathematics Field Day on February 8. They won the 9-10th grade College Bowl and the 11-12th grade Chalk Talk to claim overall victories in both grade levels.

Oaks Christian claimed the 9-10th grade Written Team Exam and the 11-12th grade College Bowl. San Marcos won the 11-12th grade Written Team Exam, and Cate School was the runner up in the 11-12th grade Chalk Talk.

Before the event started, students enjoyed a demonstration from the physics/engineering department, which included liquid nitrogen ice cream for everyone.

Anna Aboud, Westmont mathematics professor and event director, praised the Chalk Talk student presentations. “The finalists this year delivered sophisticated, interesting and informative talks that reflected deep and thoughtful preparation,” she says. “It was a privilege to listen to them.”

High school math students rarely get to speak to a large audience of about 100 people, so the event gives them a valuable opportunity. This year, they discussed base systems.

“Mathematicians who can effectively communicate their work to others are essential for society’s technological progression, and the world needs better technical communicators in all walks of life,” Aboud says. “Our competition provides a unique venue for high school students to practice these skills.”

For the first time this year, the College Bowl questions appeared on a screen in addition to being read aloud. The competition features buzzers, modeled after a 1960s TV show.

At the awards banquet, alumnus Manny Reyes (‘05), who earned a doctorate in mathematics at UC Berkeley, talked about his decision to study mathematics, and his journey as a mathematician and professor at Bowdoin College – a liberal arts institution in Maine – before becoming a professor at UC Irvine, a research institution.