MATH TEAM 2009

Continuing the Tradition

CAPTAIN
KATHRYN DANIEL (State team member)

VARSITY TEAM MEMBERS

Jordan Alfredson

Amelia Allen

Samantha Allen

Layla Bouzoubaa

Zineb Bouzoubaa

Kevin Brawley

Hilary Brown

Justin Easley (Mu Alpha Theta Secretary, State team member)

Amethyst Griggs

Ashley Jackson

Jonathan Johnson (ARML; GHP; Advanced Math MVP, State team member)

Kathryn Johnson

Vaidehi Joshi

Sarah Kustick

Tan Le

Faustine Li (PreCal MVP)

Kevin Lin

Rochelle Lobo

Valeska Lobo

Monica Longoria

Kevin Masters

Dayrin Mendez

Shalomi Momin

Patti Murphy

Bijal Patel

Kunal Patel

James Rives

Aaron Roberts (GHP)

Dane Robinson

Ken Shinmura

Sofia Tuttle

Edwin White (ARML; Calculus MVP, State team member)

JUNIOR VARSITY TEAM MEMBERS

Gedeion Addisu (Math 1 MVP)

Cameron Easley

Julian Hinds

Gabe Kustick

Jasen Lauritsen

Stein Lobo

Mandy Moreno

Rani Patel

Anika Reza

Anna Grace

Slifko Andrew

Smith Mollie

Stover Ksenia

Zakirova (Algebra MVP)

When the 2009 Math Team season began, there was some concern among the year’s juniors and seniors that we would not match the quality of last year’s team. Maybe that was concern was somewhat justified: that team consisted of dedicated math-teamers and ARML veterans. However, this year’s team was destined to continue the tradition of excellence.

Our two 1-year ARML veterans, Jonathan Johnson and Edwin White, were instrumental in leading the team to its many wins. But just as important were the seniors and juniors, who, although always interested in Math Team, found a renewed interest in doing their very best and learning more mathematics than they ever had before. With the introduction of the “Mathematics Technology and Problem Solving” course, in which students had the opportunity to learn contest and tournament strategies and the resulting mathematics, a core group of seniors emerged that dominated the year’s results.

That core group of seniors, including juniors Jonathan and Edwin, put their skills to the test. They all attended the Mercer University tournament in November, where they placed second! Narrowly missing first by only 20 points (out of a total of over 1000), they deserved the win!

LEFT: The second place team at the Mercer University Math Tournament, November 15, 2008. Left to right: Kathryn Johnson, Kevin Brawley, Patti Murphy, James Rives, Kathryn Daniel, Jonathan Johnson, Ashley Jackson, Edwin White

November also brought the 4th annual Rockdale Math Competition. Originally planned to occur in January 2008, it was cancelled due to an ice storm (that ended up being less severe than predicted). Not wanting to chance another weather-related cancellation, the competition was scheduled for November 2008. The tournament went very well, with the seniors from the “Math Tech” class, as well as Jonathan and Edwin, leading the show.

Many of the seniors from the “Math Tech” class attended the Georgia Southwestern tournament, where they again dominated the proceedings by winning first. James Rives and Kevin Masters received their first math tournament awards at this tournament, placing second and third, respectively.

The wins continued with the “Math Tech” class taking a back seat for others to shine at the Armstrong Atlantic tournament. The team of four who won first place -- Kathryn Daniel, Justin Easley, Aaron Roberts, and Edwin White -- had never worked together on a team before. But they, along with the other team members, relied on the trust and friendships they have made on and off Math Team. This is one of the reasons why the Rockdale Magnet Math Team works so well: most math-teamers are friends, or at least respect each others’ abilities. They do not sabotage each others’ performance, they do not wish the other to fail at a tournament. They instead respect talent, and, to those that are dedicated, endeavor to become as good as the best person on the team.

A major make-over occurred this year. The Math Team changed its colors from black, red, and yellow to the, ah, “super” colors of blue, red, and yellow. New hooded sweatshirts were introduced sporting the colors, as you can see in the picture below at Georgia Southwestern. (Except for Kunal: he is still wearing the old black hoodie. He refused to buy a new one!)

ABOVE: The first place team at the Georgia Southwestern State University Math Tournament, January 24, 2009. Left to right: Kunal Patel, Ashley Jackson, Kathryn Johnson, James Rives, Layla Bouzoubaa, Kevin Masters, Kevin Brawley, Patti Murphy, Kathryn Daniel

ABOVE: All three teams at the Armstrong Atlantic State University Math Tournament, January 31, 2009. Left to right: Faustine Li, Justin Easley, Kathryn Daniel, Aaron Roberts, Monica Longoria, Edwin White, Jordan Alfredson, Dane Robinson, Amelia Allen, Samantha Allen, James Rives, Kevin Lin.

LEFT: The first place team at the Armstrong Atlantic State University Math Tournament, January 31, 2009. Left to right: Justin Easley, Kathryn Daniel, Edwin White, Aaron Roberts.

Other memories and friendships were made of course: freshman Gedeion Addisu was crowned “Best Freshman on Math Team” for attending all the meetings and contests; new member and junior Jordan Alfredson was tricked out of eating a batch of cinnamon rolls at the Rockdale Math Competition; Patti Murphy was the extra ninth member of the eight-person team at Georgia Southwestern; naming junior Ken Shinmura as “Math Team Mascot”; sharing a bus to the GAC tournament with the Conyers Middle School Math Team; junior Vaidehi Joshi unintentionally making a mess of things in the scoring room at the Rockdale Math Competition; and so many others.

Below you will find our record of placements at the tournaments the Math Team attended that school year. Team awards are listed first, with individual awards listed after the team member’s name.

September 27, 2008, North Fulton Varsity Invitational, Alpharetta.

12th place team: Kathryn Daniel, Amethyst Griggs, Jonathan Johnson, Vaidehi Joshi, Faustine Li, Kevin Lin, Rochelle Lobo, James Rives.

October 25, 2008, Cobb County Invitational, Kennesaw.

13th place JV team: Gedeion Addisu, Amelia Allen, Cameron Easley, Mandy Moreno.

6th place Varsity team: Samantha Allen, Kevin Brawley, Justin Easley, Jonathan Johnson, Faustine Li, Patti Murphy, James Rives, Edwin White.

November 8, 2008, University of Georgia Mathematics Tournament, Athens.

28th place team: Hilary Brown, Jonathan Johnson, Kathryn Johnson, Vaidehi Joshi, Tan Le, Faustine Li, Monica Longoria, Kevin Masters, Dayrin Mendez, Patti Murphy, Kunal Patel, Edwin White.

November 15, 2008, Mercer University Mathematics Tournament, Macon.

2nd place team: Kevin Brawley, Kathryn Daniel (11th place), Ashley Jackson, Jonathan Johnson (5th place), Kathryn Johnson, Patti Murphy (13th place), James Rives, Edwin White (4th place and 2nd place Ciphering).

December 6, 2008, Lassiter High School Invitational Math Tournament, Marietta.

18th place JV team: Gedeion Addisu, Amethyst Griggs, Julian Hinds, Stein Lobo, Mandy Moreno, Ksenia Zakirova.

14th place Varsity team: Hilary Brown, Justin Easley, Ashley Jackson, Jonathan Johnson, Kathryn Johnson, Vaidehi Joshi, Faustine Li, Shalomi Momin.

January 24, 2009, Georgia Southwestern State University Mathematics Tournament, Americus.

1st place team: Layla Bouzoubaa, Kevin Brawley, Kathryn Daniel, Ashley Jackson, Kathryn Johnson, Kevin Masters (3rd place), Patti Murphy, James Rives (2nd place).

January 31, 2009, Armstrong Atlantic State University Mathematics Tournament, Savannah.

1st place team: Jordan Alfredson, Amelia Allen, Samantha Allen, Kathryn Daniel, Justin Easley (9th place), Faustine Li, Kevin Lin, Monica Longoria, James Rives, Aaron Roberts, Dane Robinson, Edwin White (4th place).

February 10, 2009, AMC

School winner, AMC10A: Cameron Easley

School winner, AMC12A: Kathryn Daniel

February 14, 2009, Cherokee County Saint Valentine’s Day Mathacre, Canton.

4th place JV team: Amelia Allen, Zineb Bouzoubaa, Gabe Kustick, Valeska Lobo, Stein Lobo, Mandy Moreno, Ken Shinmura, Andrew Smith.

5th place Varsity team: Samantha Allen, Ashley Jackson, Jonathan Johnson, Vaidehi Joshi, Rochelle Lobo, Shalomi Momin, Aaron Roberts, Edwin White.

February 25, 2009, AMC

School winner, AMC10B: Cameron Easley

School winner, AMC12B: Justin Easley

February 28, 2009, Georgia Tech Math Competition, Atlanta.

12th place Varsity team: Ashley Jackson, Kathryn Johnson, Aaron Roberts, Ken Shinmura.

March 21, 2009, Greater Atlanta Christian School Math Tournament, Norcross.

8th place JV team: Cameron Easley, Julian Hinds, Gabe Kustick, Ksenia Zakirova.

5th place Varsity team: Jordan Alfredson, Amelia Allen, Samantha Allen, Layla Bouzoubaa, Zineb Bouzoubaa, Hilary Brown, Kathryn Daniel, Justin Easley, Ashley Jackson, Jonathan Johnson (Honorable Mention), Kathryn Johnson, Vaidehi Joshi, Sarah Kustick, Faustine Li, Kevin Lin, Rochelle Lobo, Valeska Lobo, Shalomi Momin, Patti Murphy, James Rives (Honorable Mention), Dane Robinson, Ken Shinmura, Sofia Tuttle, Edwin White (Honorable Mention).

April 25, 2009, GCTM Varsity State Mathematics Tournament, Macon.

6th place team overall and AAAA Champions: Kathryn Daniel, Justin Easley, Jonathan Johnson, Edwin White (18th place).