{"id":13001,"date":"2024-12-19T09:30:17","date_gmt":"2024-12-19T14:30:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/?p=13001"},"modified":"2024-12-19T09:30:17","modified_gmt":"2024-12-19T14:30:17","slug":"tallwood-invitational-let-the-math-games-begin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/tallwood-invitational-let-the-math-games-begin\/","title":{"rendered":"Tallwood Invitational: Let the math games begin!"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Team First Colonial High School reviewed problems with their coach, math teacher Lynn Hull, after competing in the Tallwood Invitational. From left, Hull, Aaron Farley, Terrence Wilkening and Taegan Diguido.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Princess Anne High sophomores Marin Smith, left, and Amaya Hamada practiced some sample questions in the library before competing in the Tallwood Invitational math competition.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By Cindy Butler Focke<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Problems were solved recently at Tallwood High School.<\/p>\n

The inaugural Tallwood Invitational, a citywide mathematics competition, was organized by Tallwood High math teachers Bob Thien and Carey Henry.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe purpose of the competition is to promote and develop a culture of excellence in mathematics,\u201d Thien said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to really challenge the upper-level students to push further than they are already capable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Six VBCPS high schools were represented:\u00a0 First Colonial, Ocean Lakes, Landstown Governor\u2019s STEM Academy, Salem, Princess Anne and Tallwood.<\/p>\n

They arrived with their coaches at Tallwood bright and early Dec. 14 to compete in the collaborative, team-based, timed competition.<\/p>\n

The opening ceremony in the school\u2019s schola room included the national anthem and a greeting from Thien.<\/p>\n

He welcomed the 68 student math enthusiasts and applauded their intellectual talent.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Landstown High students, from left Rya White, Mia Garcia-Lim, Cara Nelson and Sandi Nguyen said they felt confident after competing in the 15-minute short answer competition at the Tallwood Invitational.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cIf talent goes unchallenged, it will wither,\u201d he told them<\/p>\n

Teams energetically headed out as soon as Thien exclaimed, \u201cLet the games begin!\u201d<\/p>\n

Some went to compete in one of the four challenges in upper and lower categories: complex problem solving and short answer.<\/p>\n

Others waited their turn.<\/p>\n

They practiced math problems in the library and interacted with members of the Tallwood \u00a0National Math Honor Society in the hallway.<\/p>\n

Pearl Wattananonchai manned the logic puzzles table.<\/p>\n

The Tallwood sophomore thought the event was a great idea.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone with the same interest and passion can be together and meet more people,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Competitors also played the game of Ultimate Tic-Tac-Toe and learned about alternative multiplication methods from Tallwood \u201cmultiplication specialists.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tallwood junior Milla Estepa explained how to use the \u201cRussian Peasant\u201d method to solve a multiplication problem, while Fionna Manansala highlighted the \u201cAncient Egyptian\u201d way to multiply.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Juniors Fionna Manansala, left, and Milla Estepa volunteered at the Tallwood Invitational. The \u201cmultiplication specialists\u201d shared multiplication processes from Ancient Egypt and Russia.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Freshman Addison Azar\u2019s display explained a Japanese multiplication process by using parallel and perpendicular lines and sophomore Maiah Fetalvero demonstrated the Lattice Method, first developed in Ancient India.<\/p>\n

Landstown students Cara Nelson, Mia Garcia-Lim, Ryu White and Sandi Nguyen looked confident following their 15-minute short answer competition session.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m pretty happy about how we did,\u201d Ryu said<\/p>\n

The sophomore said their strategy was to quickly open the envelope and divide the 15 problems between the foursome. They used math skills ranging from algebra II to pre-calculus.<\/p>\n

After competing, teams could satisfy their curiosity with assistance from Isabella Chao.<\/p>\n

The Tallwood senior, deemed a \u201csubject matter expert,\u201d explained answers to some of the problems.<\/p>\n

Landstown coach and math teacher Christopher Eaton applauded his team\u2019s hard work and preparation. The group worked on strategies after school and tried out some sample challenges provided on a website by organizers.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese kids are so self-motivated,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The Invitational was made possible through an Adopt A+ grant from the Virginia Beach Education Foundation. Funds covered trophies, supplies and building fees.<\/p>\n

T-shirts for participants and volunteers were provided thanks to two local engineering firms, a Tallwood High Math Honor Society fundraiser and school administration.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The Tallwood Invitational first place trophy was won this year by Ocean Lakes High School and will travel from first place winner to first place winner each year.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Participants gathered back together for the awards presentation.<\/p>\n

First, guest speaker Dr. Jessica Kelly of Christopher Newport University demonstrated a new method of proving the Pythagorean Theorem, just developed in the past couple of years.<\/p>\n

Then came the big announcements.<\/p>\n

Princess Anne placed second, and Tallwood and Landstown tied for third.<\/p>\n

Ocean Lakes was awarded the first place travelling trophy. The team had the greatest number of combined points from all four sessions.<\/p>\n

Thien said he was overwhelmed with the event\u2019s turnout.<\/p>\n

He applauded everyone for excellence in math skills, thanked the volunteers and said the event will continue annually.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will build from here,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Ocean Lakes High School won first place at the inaugural Tallwood High School citywide mathematics competition. Princess Anne came in second, and Tallwood and Landstown tied for third.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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