St. Louis Park Fifth Graders Are Math Masters

On Saturday, April 30, from 8:00 a.m. to noon, fifth grade students from St. Louis Park participated in the 2011 Math Masters of Minnesota Challenge. The event, hosted by Cedar Park STEM School, was one of 38 fifth and sixth grade events being held statewide. More than 5,000 students from public and nonpublic schools participated in the annual math challenge. 

At Cedar Park STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) School in Apple Valley there were 147 fifth graders competing in 29 teams. Competition consisted of three types: Fast Facts, a time challenge round; Individual, three rounds of independent work; and Group, three rounds of team group work.

Carmen Baysinger, gifted and talented specialist for St. Louis Park elementary schools, led 35 students on seven teams representing Susan Lindgren, Aquila and Park Spanish Immersion elementary schools. The kids all worked hard, really focused and also really seemed to enjoy the day.  

Congratulations to the St. Louis Park students who scored winning places:

• 18th Place, Fast Facts: Gage Merkel
• 1st Place, Individual Competition: Ryan Favour 
• 19th Place, Individual Competition: Ben Klepfer 
• 4th Place, Group Competition: SLP1: Ryan Favour, George Nowak, Devin Raynor, Katie Steiner, Jacob Stillman
• 12th Place,  Group Competition: SLP2: Julia Austad, Savannah Kjare, Billy Nichols, William Phelan, Samyukta Yenamandra