MGCCC hosts 26th Annual Junior High Mathematics Tournament

Seventh-grade winners, front row from left: Derrick Anderson, Bayou View Middle School, first place; Alex Bergin, Bayou View Middle School, second place; Maggie Criddle, Resurrection Catholic Middle School, third place; Armando Barnes, East Central Middle School, fourth place; Brittany Lowery, Ocean Springs Middle School, fifth place. Second row from left: Henry Stonnington, Stone Middle School, sixth place; BlakeVogel, Michel Seventh Grade, eighth place; Trea Ladner, Pass Christian Middle School, ninth place; Ryan Pettersen, Gautier Middle School, 10th place.

Eighth-grade winners: Front row from left: Daniel Taylor, East Central Middle School, first place; Bobby Vo, Pass Christian Middle School, second place; Rachel Bernheim, Bayou View Middle School, third place; Alex McNeely, George County Middle School, fourth place; Asia Sanders, Pass Christian Middle School, fifth place. Second row from left: David Wiggins, East Central Middle School, sixth place; MiKayla Wheeler, Ocean Springs Middle School, seventh place; Josh Mallett, George County Middle School, eighth place; Josh Territt, D’Iberville Middle School, ninth place; Richard Chesnutt, III, Long Beach Middle School, 10th place.

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College’s Jackson County Campus in Gautier was the setting for the 26th Annual Junior High Mathematics Tournament in March. The tournament, held at the Natural Resources and Environmental Studies Outdoor Recreation Leadership Building, is sponsored each year by First Chemical Corporation, a DuPont Company; Mississippi Council of Teachers of Mathematics; and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.

The calculator-based examination gave 47 seventh- and eighth-grade students from 13 different schools in Jackson, Harrison, Stone and George counties the opportunity to compete for $2,700 in savings bonds provided by the corporate sponsor, First Chemical Corporation. In addition to the monetary prizes, each participant received a T-shirt and pizza lunch. Trophies, provided by First Chemical, went to the top finishers.

Raymond Tanner, mathematics department chairman at the Jackson County Campus, began the tournament 26 years ago, and, at one time, coordinated the efforts statewide. Tanner said the tournament helps encourage students to do well in mathematics and rewards their efforts and skills. He added that the driving force behind the tournament’s success has been the involvement throughout the years of First Chemical. “First Chemical’s interest and involvement has been the major reason that the tournament at the district level has been such a success, and we appreciate all that they have done to guarantee that the program has continued to provide such an opportunity for the seventh- and eighth-grade mathematics students.”

Participating schools were represented by two students from each grade level. Student eligibility was based on test scores. First- and second-place winners in each grade level at the tournament were invited to attend the state competition held April 17 at Holmes Community College in Ridgeland.

First Chemical representatives Terrell Taylor and Ronnie Sheldon assisted in the presentation of the savings bonds, trophies and certificates to the winners. Gulf Coast staff members conducting this year’s tournament were Tanner, Brenda Helms, Becky Thompson, James Gilbert, John Miller, Gopa Bhowmick and Cecilia Frisbie.

Seventh-grade winners include Ryan Petterson, Gautier Middle School, 10th place; Trea Ladner, Pass Christian Middle School, ninth place; Blake Vogel, Michel Seventh Grade, eighth place; Katy Gregory, Trent Lott Middle School, seventh place; Henry Stonnington, Stone Middle School, sixth place; Brittany Lowery, Ocean Springs Middle School, fifth place; Armando Barnes, East Central Middle School, fourth place; Maggie Criddle, Resurrection Catholic Middle School, third place; Alex Bergin, Bayou View Middle School, second place; and Derrick Anderson, Bayou View Middle School, first place.

Eighth-grade winners include Richard Chesnutt, III, Long Beach Middle School, 10th place; Josh Territt, D’Iberville Middle School, ninth place; Josh Mallett, George County Middle School, eighth place; MiKayla Wheeler, Ocean Springs Middle School, seventh place; David Wiggins, East Central Middle School, sixth place; Asia Sanders, Pass Christian Middle School, fifth place; Alex McNeely, George County Middle School, fourth place; Rachel Bernheim, Bayou View Middle School, third place; Bobby Vo, Pass Christian Middle School, second place; and Daniel Taylor, East Central Middle school, second place.