UM announces Montana high school Math Award winners

MISSOULA – The University of Montana honored 50 high school juniors from across western Montana for their outstanding math skills during a banquet April 11 at the University Center. Seeley-Swan High School junior Kara Good was among those recognized.

This was the first year UM offered this award. High School math teachers were asked to nominate one junior who demonstrated five qualities in mathematics: Curiosity, creativity, persistence, understanding and joy. While high-achieving students could be recognized, it was not the primary criterion.

SSHS Math Teacher Annette Johnson nominated Good because she felt Good best demonstrated the qualities for the award.

"Good asks really good questions and celebrates [being] inquisitive. She perseveres when the going gets tough," said Johnson. "However, the biggest one was mathematical joy. Good brings joy to mathematics and the learning process."

Good said this year in Pre-Calc, her favorite section has been trigonometry. She enjoys math in general because she knows when she gets the correct answer and when it is wrong.

"Math isn't very open ended most of the time," said Good. "I like having a set way to do things and coming up with a set answer."

Good enjoyed the banquet. She said everyone at the banquet "was a nerd. It was 45 minutes of mathematical entertainment," said Good and laughed. They had bubble solution and put different geometric shapes in the solution. The bubble that it made was "really weird," said Good. "It was super cool though."

Each student received a Montana High School Mathematics certificate, t-shirt and mug at the event.

Additional winners of this year’s math award are:

• Anaconda High School: Kaitlyn Frank

• Big Sky High School: Kasidee Stewart, Everett Fred, Shelby Lenox

• Butte Central Catholic School: Ashley York

• Butte High School: Grace Luoma, Kathryn Manson, Teagan Peters

• Capital High School in Helena: Beatrice Pujol, Caleb Hoxie, Blaise Murphy

• Charlo High School: Shyanne Reum

• Corvallis High School: Kristofer Ericson, Hannah Hutchison, Hannah Martin

• Frenchtown High School: MiKaela Field, Aubrie Zohner

• Glacier High School in Kalispell: Lucas Ritzdorf, Tyler Galbraith, Margaret Rudbach

• Granite High School in Philipsburg: Shiena Medrano, Scarlet Guilbert

• Hamilton High School: Nicholas Draper, Ryan Craig

• Helena High School: Caroline Bullock, Kelson Demmons, Alyssa Plant

• Hellgate High School: Devin Windfield, Isabella Dixon, Abbey Flynn

• Loyola Sacred Heart High School: McKenna Round

• Noxon High School: Shelby Lackner, Michael Antonich

• Polson High School: Gwen Seeley, Davis Smith

• Ronan High School: James Normandeau, Maddy Sevier, Reid Closson

• Seeley-Swan High School: Kara Good

• Sentinel High School: Braeden Hunt, Jessica DeWit, Peyton Riska

• Stevensville High School: Ryan Hinson, Gavin Rahl

• St. Ignatius High School: Robert Dempsey

• Superior High School: Skylar Simpson

• Thompson Falls High School: Ethan Brown

• Two Eagle River School in Pablo: Mak Glass

• Whitefish High School: Jessica Henson, Andrew Brozek