Aug 23, 2021, 8:42 PM

After 530 days, the math team will once again meet together after school.  To help appreciate how crazy that is, I have written this 530-word message to you.

Our original plan was to meet in 1500, but all signs are pointing towards a large first meeting, so we have moved the show to 2104.  If you are new, come on by to check out what math team is all about.  If you have been one of us, come by so that we can see each other in real life!  Our math team officers have prepared some events to do some math and meet new people.  I’m pretty pumped to see what they have prepared. =)

Again, our first meeting is:

Tomorrow, August 24, 2021

Room 2104

3:30 – 4:30

Our meetings after that will be determined by the room size we will need going forward. 

Uh-oh, I’m only 148 words in… that’s like August 5, 2020… not even to the beginning of last school year!  Sheesh, it’s been so long since I’ve seen all of us in the same room!

I mean, it’s been a really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really,really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really long time!

Whew!  Made it!

See ya’ll tomorrow,

Math team coaches and officers

Sun, May 2, 10:31 PM

It’s unbelievable.   Second to last meeting of the year coming up.  Wow.  Our last guest speaker will be Dr. Dolata of Georgetown University.  He will be giving a talk titled, ““Proving the existence of the atom with high school mathematics.”  Pretty sweet title!  Be sure to zoom in to hear, to be inspired, to enjoy a talk from big brain people.  =)

In our last meeting on May 11, we will be formally “handing out” awards that we have been gathering throughout the year, recognizing students for their achievements, telling you where to pick up some physical awards you may have won, and announcing the new M3C team for next year – it’s AWARDS DAY!    We’ll also share some other announcements and give some parting words.

Woot!  Anybody else getting that summer feeling?
pk

ZOOM!
Tuesday3:40 – 4:30ish
https://zoom.us/j/92119341972

Mon, Apr 26, 9:03 PM

What?  It’s still only Monday?Anybody else feeling like they deserve a Friday by now?  At least a Thursday, right?  Well, as a positive note, we do get to have MATH TEAM tomorrow, Tuesday, after school.  That makes me feel better. =)

1.  Guest speaker!As we mentioned before, tomorrow… “we will continue our time in Cambridge by hearing from Evan Chen, PhD student at MIT and one of the United States math olympiad coaches. Woot!  Shout out to Andrew Liu who connected us with this speaker.  Andrew has taken a course with Evan and says that he has a really great style of teaching.  Evan is also the team selection coordinator for US Olympic team, so it may be nice to get some face time with him.  =)”   His talk will begin with modular arithmetic and complex numbers as he walks up to higher math.  So block off your schedule and zoom on by.  It is a real honor to have a world class mathematician come by and speak for our group.

2.  M3ConclusionWith a deep, tired breath the entire SHS m3 team collectively exhales.  It is a long sigh that is equally satisfaction and tiredness from the a tremendous outpouring of effort.  Congratulations to the senior team of Praneet, Emily, James, Brandon, and Sai along with the junior team of Spandan, Anderw, Joy, Greycen, and Gabe.  Today both teams successfully defended their work before professors and professional mathematicians.  And though they did not walk away with the top prize, the two teams take home a combined $13,500 in scholarship money along with an incredibly unique experience.  We also want to acknowledge the team of Daniel Brin, Sravani Bhamidipaty, Brady Rivkin, and Lillian You.  They competed unofficially and served as a pilot study for the M3C group.  This third team also competed in the MCM math modeling competition this year.  

Selection for the m3 team next year will continue this weekend for those students that signed up.

Take care and we’ll see you on zoom tomorrow

ZOOM!
Tuesday3:40 – 4:20ish
https://zoom.us/j/92119341972
pk

Wed, Apr 21, 11:21 AM

Don’t worry… 
It’s not Monday.  This email is just crazy early.  We want to get some information out there in case you missed it yesterday

1.  M3C
Be part of the legacy!  Come and submit your application to be part of the next M3 Team!  The deadline to signup is this Friday, April 23.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe8ZWi15wcZKeB3OLCO2niDfaH9N3WB2OLN-pfQzhB-PKmh9w/viewform?usp=sf_link

2.  MIT
We hope you enjoyed the talk by Philena and Emily this week, recent math team graduates that are now living the math dream at MIT.  Next week, we will continue our time in Cambridge by hearing from Evan Chen, PhD student at MIT and one of the United States math olympiad coaches. Woot!  Shout out to Andrew Liu who connected us with this speaker.  Andrew has taken a course with Evan and says that he has a really great style of teaching.  Evan is also the team selection coordinator for US olympic team, so it may be nice to get some face time with him.  =)  So block off your schedule and zoom on by.  Of note, I do want to explain my muted screen – I’m in a gym yelling at volleyball players, so while I will be tuning in, I won’t be able to fully participate like I normally do.

  
Have a great little break today, and let’s continue to invest in ourselves – working to be the best we can be and contributing to make the best math team in the region, state, nation, internationally, and the universe.  =)
pk

Mon, Apr 19, 12:19 PM

We meet again, mwuh-ha-haaa-haaaaaaaaaa!

That’s right champ, math team is back online.  Hear now the amazing details.

1.  Guest speaker!  Guest speaker! Tomorrow we will have a guest speaker!Who is it going to be?  Well, you’ll have to zoom by to find out!  …but here are some clues.  There will actually be a couple speakers.  Both of these individuals are recent graduates of SHS, and thusly they are both at university.  They both attend a university that I’m pretty sure any math team kid would happily go to if accepted.  One of our speakers was born on a Tuesday, the other a Wednesday 22 days later.  Together they have 20 fingers, 4 eyes, 4 knees.  I know, I’m making it too obvious.  Their talk will cover various topics including gambling, cryptography, and randomness.  Come check it out.

2.  The M3C team selection for next year will be announced tomorrow, with sign up information described in our meeting.  Be a math hero like these fellas here:Emily, James, Brandon, Sai, Praneet, Andrew, Joy (who apparently is mostly clear and chilly), Spandan, Greycen, and Gabe.

ZOOM!
Tuesday3:40 – 4:20ish
https://zoom.us/j/92119341972
pk

Mon, Apr 12, 10:41 PM

Hello champ, 

Writing to inform you that there is NO MATH TEAM this week.
1.  Juniors are taking the SAT.. let’s give their brains a rest
2.  We are all at home… let’s give our zooming eyes a rest
3.  Math team coaches need some time to get a few things organized… 

so we’re gonna take a break!  Woot!

Enjoy some free time and see ya next time, 
pk

Mon, Apr 5, 12:17 PM

Greetings, 

So today is Monday, the first day where SHS students can come back to school and stay all day.  If you have not come into the building, my anecdotal evidence suggests that the number of students in the building is 3x, where x is the average number of students that have been coming in since hybrid learning began… it’s a little bonkers.

Math team will continue to meet virtually, and exclusively in that way until we advise you otherwise.  We’ll see how these next few weeks work out and then re-evaluate the decision.

Moving on to our meeting this week.
With our competition season officially done, we move back to reinvestment mode.  This week our guest speaker is a fellow who is currently finishing their master’s degree in computer science.  It is not by coincidence that some of our top math team students go on to be computer science majors – the intersection between these two fields of study is quite large.  

Bring your questions, bring your curiosity, and zoom on by to see how computer science may or may not become a large part of your future.

ZOOM!
Tuesday3:40 – 4:20ish
https://zoom.us/j/92119341972
pk

Sat, Mar 27, 11:02 PM

Za – Za – Za – ZOOOOM!

Yup, we will be in zooming in on Tuesday, the first week back from Spring Break. Hopefully by then, the shock of being back to school on screens will have dissipated and you will be back in tip-top school form.

In our meeting, we mean only to celebrate the results of the state tournament, give a shout out to some individuals… It will be a short 20 minute call this time. =)

So come on by and let’s be awesome together
pk

ZOOM!
Tuesday 3:40 – 4:00
https://zoom.us/j/92119341972

Sun, Mar 14, 2:38 PM

Greetings to the esteemed math team of Stevenson High School, 

Harken and turn your ear to the following decrees!

1.  Come one, come all.
In a normal year, we have to make tough cuts, touch choices.  Logistically there are only so many people we can load onto a bus, and the state has restrictions on the number of participants at each level.  BUT THIS YEAR, in a virtual environment, any student may participate.  At Stevenson, we invite you to participate in this state contest, but we need to confirm your intention to do so.  Only students who have filled out this google form will have state material distributed to them.  No exceptions.  Registration will close at 4:30 on Tuesday.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScsbigxtLRIq9MNTjTVko7b8h_FNSD50GskVnW5kdtKsxpFcw/viewform?usp=sf_link
Our plan is:
Wednesday 6 PM: Individual contests followed by calculator contest
Thursday lunch: f/s 8p
Thursday evening: j/s 8p
NO EXCEPTIONS to these times unless stated by us or the state.

2.  Be on guard!
The State math contest this year will be released over a large span of time.  Rather than an on site exam that is released at one time, schools across the state are allowed to take contests as soon as tomorrow and up until Thursday. 
DO NOT seek to find the contest outside of the times we will dispense the exam at Stevenson.  Do not engage in conversation about the exam before, during or even after you take the contest.  Remember, other students in the state will be looking to take the contest after us.  Stay off of social media, do not post problems, do not post solutions… be paranoid!  See danger in every corner and take cover!  Think that ICTM spies will temp you and try to tell you about the test, and flee!  After the exam, hide your work.  Assume the highest levels of scrutiny will be placed on your interaction with this contest, and be above reproach.  

3.  Prepare thyself.
As we stated last week, ahem, cramming makes a difference!  Keep running through old state contests and work on pace.  Find questions you dropped and study solutions.  Clan up with others and study through problems together.  Your work today will make a difference tomorrow.  Our last group meeting before the state contest will be Tuesday in our typical meeting… see ya then!

ZOOM!
3:40 – 4:30
https://zoom.us/j/92119341972

Mon, Mar 8, 9:14 PM

Hello friends, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, cousins, grandchildren, athletes, gamers, students, tutors, vegetarians, carnivores, … there certainly is a great diversity in our group, but together, we are THE math team.

As it has been all year, we are proud to be among you, proud to be coaches of this fine group.

Tomorrow, 03/09
1. Announcements
2. ICTM preparation!

I can’t believe that there are only two more math team meetings until spring break.  Whaaaaa?  Has it really been that long?  Crazy to think that just a year ago, social distancing, zoom calls, and mask wearing was not the norm.  

But yup, tomorrow, in accordance with social distancing, we will be zooming in… and Mr. Anderson will likely be wearing a mask. =)

ZOOM!
3:40 – 4:30
https://zoom.us/j/92119341972