Full scholarship to Duke among awards to statewide mathematics competition winners
Posted: 04-29-2009 : DURHAM, N.C.

DURHAM, N.C. – A full tuition scholarship to Duke University has been offered to the highest-ranked high school senior at the 31st annual State Mathematics Competition. The North Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCCTM) and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM) have announced the list of winners, including:

1. Calvin Deng of Cary, an eighth grader at Ligon Middle School; awards**: $1,000 from EMC Corporation, book award, plaque, certificate, $300 Art of Problem Solving Scholarship
2. Tian-Yi Jiang of Raleigh; a junior at NCSSM (base school: Cary Academy); awards**: book award, plaque, $300 Art of Problem Solving Scholarship
3. Daniel Vitek of Raleigh, a senior at Enloe High School, has been offered a full tuition scholarship to Duke University for being the highest scoring senior; other awards**: certificate, plaque, book award
4. John Berman of Wilmington; a senior Hoggard High School; awards**: certificate, plaque, book award
5. Bryce Taylor of Winston-Salem; a sophomore at Mount Tabor High School; awards**: certificate, book award, $300 Art of Problem Solving Scholarship
6. Thomas Lu of Kernersville; a freshman at The Early College at Guilford; awards**: certificate, book award, $300 Art of Problem Solving Scholarship
7. Christine Hong of Greenville; a sophomore at J.H. Rose High School; awards**: certificate, book award, $300 Art of Problem Solving Scholarship
8. Allen Yang of Cary; a freshman at Cary Academy; awards**: certificate, book award, $300 Art of Problem Solving Scholarship
9. Michael Chang of Wilmington; a senior at NCSSM (base school: New Hanover High School); awards**: certificate, book award
10. Eric McCabe of Southern Pines; a junior at NCSSM (base school: Pinecrest High School); awards**: certificate, book award, $300 Art of Problem Solving Scholarship
11. Zijing Gao of Chapel Hill; an eighth grader at Smith Middle School; awards**: certificate, book award, $300 Art of Problem Solving Scholarship
12. Andrew Hertzberg of Chapel Hill; a senior at Chapel Hill High School; awards**: certificate, book award
13. Kevin Lang of Charlotte; a senior at Myers Park High School; award**: certificate
14. Gray Symon of Carrboro; a sophomore at Chapel Hill High School; awards**: certificate, book award, $300 Art of Problem Solving Scholarship
15. Jessie Duan of Cary; a sophomore at Green Hope High School; awards**: certificate, $300 Art of Problem Solving Scholarship
16. Royce Feng of Cary; a senior at NCSSM (base school: Enloe High School); award: certificate
17. losif Makhatadze of New Bern; a senior at New Bern High School; award: certificate
18. Shutong Zhan of Boone; a senior at NCSSM (base school: Watauga High School); award: certificate
19. Dylan Peifer of Weaverville; a junior at North Buncombe High School; award: certificate
20. Brendan Fletcher of Matthews; a sophomore at Charlotte Home Educators Association; award: certificate

**The top 15 winners will also be included on the North Carolina American Regions Mathematics League (ARML) Team.

"I have been involved in the State Mathematics Contest for all 31 years, first as an individual school coach, then as the NC ARML Team coach, and for the past 10 years as the chair of the Contest Committee. When we first started the contest, computers were rare, cell phones, I-pods and other distractions for teens did not exist. In spite of this, the students from North Carolina have steadily improved, and are as enthused about mathematics and mathematics competitions as ever. We have some of the best students in the country and are proud of what they are doing and what our teachers are doing for them," said John Goebel, chair of NCCTM’s State Mathematics Contest Committee.

“These students represent the best of the best in high school mathematics in North Carolina. The NC Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education Center (SMT Center) is proud to endorse their significant academic achievement in such a competitive contest,” said Sam Houston, president and CEO of the SMT Center.

About the State Mathematics Contest
The State Mathematics Contest was founded by the North Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCCTM) as a culminating experience to follow the local contests at colleges and universities. Currently, 16 colleges, universities, and community colleges offer contests that lead up to the State Math Contest. Initially there was only one State Mathematics Contest for the most advanced students who had completed the typical curriculum in high school mathematics. When state finals in Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II were added in the mid 1980s, the previously named State Mathematics Contest became the State Mathematics Contest, Comprehensive Division. The Comprehensive Finals take place the last Thursday of April while the state finals in Algebra 1, Geometry and Algebra II take place in early May at UNC-Asheville, UNC-Greensboro and NC Wesleyan. The EMC2 Corporation helps to underwrite the cost of the regional finals, as well as problem-solving scholarships to the winners in each of the three divisions at all three sites and cash prizes for the top student in each of the four divisions. Duke Energy Foundation is also a sponsor.

The State Mathematics Contest is sponsored by the North Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathematics and is endorsed by the SMT Center.

Contacts:
John Goebel, NCSSM, (919) 724-5225
Tom Williams, SMT Center, (919) 815-6658