Students from all over the state come to St. Cloud State to compete in the SCSU Math Contest.
About 2,000 7th-12th grade students from across Minnesota are traveling to St. Cloud State University to compete in a one-day math contest.
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Led by the mathematics and statistics department, St. Cloud State has hosted this contest annually since 1968. This year’s contest is April 9.
“This is a hallmark tradition of the mathematics and statistics department,” said Dale Buske, professor of Mathematics and former contestant (1982-83). “Community outreach has been a significant part of our work for much of our history.”
St. Cloud State faculty, staff and students write the tests, grade the tests, determine, create and distribute the awards, and organize activities for participants between testing and award ceremonies.
Students who participate in the contest are in the top 15 percent in their grade level. From the group of the top students in each district, the contest then recognizes those performing in the top 20 percent, top 10 percent and top five percent of those competing at each grade level.
Minnesota math students compete in 2014.
Between testing and the ceremony, students are free to explore campus by visiting Halenbeck Hall for recreation, open skating at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center, receiving a hands-on demonstration of the Visualization and Simulation Lab in the Integrated Science and Engineering Laboratory Facility, touring the campus radio station and eating lunch in Garvey Commons.
Through the contest, local math teachers are able to recognize students for mathematics achievement beyond that of standardized testing.
“We recognize the need to serve as leaders in mathematics education in Central Minnesota,” Buske said. “The recognition builds confidence in ability and often a desire to pursue further study in mathematics or related disciplines.”
