Sioux Center, Iowa — Savanna Busch, Sheldon Middle School Team A, placed first individually at the north Northwest Area Education Agency (AEA) Sixth-Grade Math Bee competition in Sioux Center.
Teams consist of four students and one alternate, and the students participate on an individual as well as a group level. The number of teams from each school is based on enrollment totals for the 6th grade. During the individual competition students completed five rounds of 10 questions each in the following categories which align with the Iowa Core: number systems, expressions & equations, geometry, statistics, ratios, and proportional relationships.
The team competition featured 12 problems selected from the five categories. Team members who participated in the individual competition worked with the alternate on the team round. Scores were determined by the sum of the top three individual rounds, plus the scores from the team exercise.
Sheldon Middle Team A participants placed 1st overall. Their team members were: Savanna Busch, Ethan Paulson, Zac Stellinga, Brooklyn Grady and Alex Kavanagh.
Team B came home with 3rd, and that team was comprised of Michael Paulson, Charlotte Cook, Brady Waldstein, James Naves and Jalyn DeBoer.
Six of the ten students from Sheldon placed in the top 20 individual contest: Michael Paulson, Brooklyn Grady, Charlotte Cook, Zac Stellinga (4th overall), Ethan Paulson (tied for 2nd), and taking first from the 220 participants was Savanna Busch. Both teams were coached by teacher Connie Van Meeteren.
South O’Brien came home from the competition with 2nd place. Their team members were Angela Nyunt, Bryce Rasmussen, Eric Mars and Aidan Rehder.
Coming away from the day with 4th was the team from Sioux Center Christian. Tyra Hulstein (who tied for 4th overall), Tyrell Hulshof, Logan Franken, Megan Vander Kooi and Ross Tiedeman. They were coached by teacher Rebecca DeSmith.
