Darrin Gershman, Jason Gershman, Reza Jacob, Dan Moraseski, Paul Pollack, Sean Szeja, Brittany Dees,
Brent Tworetzky, Ben L. Richardson, Stephen Hicks, Joseph Stark, Andrew Curtis, Ross McIntosh, Greg Leigh,
Matthew Whitlock, Nelia Jain, Viraj Lakdawala, Sid Agarwal, Zubin Teja, Kunal Jain, Ryan Goldenberg.
SID AGARWAL is a Berkeley Prep student who competed in Algebra I and later Algebra II this year. He scored 115 on the individual test at the Miami Sunset Invitational. He plays the piano and enjoys basketball, soccer, tennis, and swimming. He says his favorite subject is history. "I like to learn from the past about the future." His career goals: business management and doctor.ARTHUR L. BAUM is a student at Miami Palmetto High School who competed in Algebra II. He had the highest score at the Miami Sunset Invitational.
JEFF BOLZ is a junior at Suncoast School. This is his second year competing in the Calculus division. He received third place at the Miami Invitational, fourth at the January regionals, and fourth at the Stoneman Douglas regional. At the 1997 State Convention, he was a member of Suncoast's first place computer team. He writes, "Other than math, one of my favorite things to do is play chess. I would like to attend either MIT or Caltech and plan on majoring in Applied Mathematics."
E-mail: [email protected]DEVLYN M. BROWN is a student at Vero Beach High School who competed in Precalculus. He was one of seven Florida High School students to qualify for the 1998 USA Mathematical Olympiad. Devlyn scored 120, the highest in the state, in the January regional competition, and he tied for first in the state in the Miami Sunset Invitational.
JONATHAN CHEN is a student at Nova Center who competed in Algebra II. He had the second highest score at the Miami Sunset Invitational.
WINSTON CHENG is a student at Leon High School who competed in Calculus. He was one of seven Florida High School students to qualify for the 1998 USA Mathematical Olympiad.
TOM COOK is a student at Community School of Naples who competed in Geometry. He had the highest score at the Miami Sunset Invitational.
ANDREW CURTIS is a student at Hillsborough High School who competed in Precalculus. He was one of seven Florida High School students to qualify for the 1998 USA Mathematical Olympiad. He had the highest score statewide in the February 28 regional competition, and the second highest score in the Florida Invitational at Vero Beach.
BRITTANY DEES is a sophomore at Vero Beach High School who competed in Algebra II. She tied for first in the state with a 120 in the March 28 regional competition, and she scored 110 on the individual test of February 28, tying for second place in the state. She has been a competitive swimmer since age ten, and says that aside from swimming, math his her biggest hobby. She says her favorite teachers have all been math teachers, and her all-time favorite is Mrs. Hiller, whom she describes as "absolutely awesome. Mrs. Hiller is a very kind, caring, and helpful individual. She lifts me up when I am down and is just a wonderful person and teacher all around." Brittany wants to pursue a career in the field of mathematics, perhaps engineering. She said it has been her dream since she was a child to attend Florida State University. She was born in Gainesville but has lived in Vero Beach since age two.
E-mail: [email protected]KEVIN GEIER is a student at Lake Mary who competed in Algebra I. He tied for first in the state with a 120 in the March 28 regional competition.
DARRIN GERSHMAN is a sophomore at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School who competed in Algebra II. He finished first statewide in the February 28 regionals, tied for first with a perfect 120 at the Florida Invitational at Vero Beach, tied for first with a 120 in the March 28 regional competition, tied for second at the Miami Sunset Invitational, and was second in the state in the January 24 regionals. Darrin is the younger brother of Jason Gershman, another outstanding competitor. He writes, "I am constantly being compared to Jason with nicknames like 'Little Gersh' or the occasional 'Jason's brother.' Everyone soon realized that I have the same passion for math competitions and for winning that Jason has. I am proud to represent my school at every math competition, and I work hard to do the best that I can." Darrin says that, besides math, he enjoys listening to country music, watching auto racing, and playing the banjo. He has played the banjo for almost three years and takes lessons on Saturdays of non-math weekends.
E-mail: [email protected]JASON GERSHMAN is a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School who competed in Calculus. At the Miami Sunset Invitational he scored 105 on the Calculus test, on which the highest score was 110. At Stoneman Douglas he is President of the Math Club. An integral part of the school's Mu Alpha Theta chapter is a volunteer tutorial program which Jason organized for students who have not passed the Florida High School Competency Test. He says the success enjoyed by those who have passed the HSCT with help from the program is gratifying. Jason is the older brother of Darrin Gershman, another outstanding competitor. Jason says he is called "the taller clone," "Jason, I think," or just "Gershman." He writes, "I have had a great past four years as a Mu Alpha Theta competitor. My greatest times through the past four years were my three Grenelefe state conventions as well as trips to Orlando and Seattle for the Mu Alpha Theta National Convention. I cherish the memories of three State Championships and the 1996 National Championship for my school's team as well as back-to-back National Championships for my team. My national championship ring earned at the 1996 convention is one of my most prized possessions. While I have overheard many fellow competitors incorrectly assume that Darrin and I do math all of the time, I would like to dispel those rumors. I am an avid fan of NASCAR racing and spend Sundays watching the races and I attend races in person as often as possible. I was thrilled to attend the Daytona 500 this February on an off weekend from math. I also enjoy listening to country and bluegrass music."
E-mail: [email protected]SHANNON GILKEY is a sophomore at Berkeley Prep who competed in Algebra II. She writes, "I am originally from New Jersey. I have been living in Florida for the last ten years, but I still miss the winter weather. I am a sophomore at Berkeley and am part of the Latin Club and the Math Club. Math has always been my favorite class, especially algebra, which is what I am taking this year. When I am not at school, I do homework and work in the library."
RYAN GOLDENBERG is a junior at Berkeley Prep who competed in Precalculus this year. He tied for second on the individual test at the Florida Invitational at Vero Beach and tied for second statewide in the February 28 regional competitions. Ryan wrote, "I enjoy almost all sports, including: football, basketball, tennis, skiing, ping-pong, and cross-country. I also take part in many computer activities, like e-mail, chatting, games, web page designing, and internet surfing. I'm now in the math, juggling, and web design clubs. I've been participating in Mu Alpha Theta competitions since 7th grade, and have enjoyed the competition as well as the fun associated with all our trips, including our national trips to Orlando and Seattle. My favorite subject is math, but I enjoy both computers as well as science. I plan to attend some college up north, but am not exactly sure where yet. I plan to study computer science and/or electrical computer engineering." Ryan was was born in Richmond, Indiana, and moved to Tampa before 4th grade.
E-mail: [email protected]
http://home.tampabay.rr.com/ryan1DAVID HARDEN is a junior at South Miami Senior High School who competed in Precalculus. He has been the school AHSME winner and a AIME participant since his ninth grade year. He placed first in PreCalculus in the FAMAT January Regional that year. He has placed in the top thirteen in Calculus in two FAMAT Invitational competitions, Coral Springs (1997) and Miami Sunset (1998). During the 1996-97 year, he placed second in the Calculus division of the NML with a score of 29 out of 30. He is among the leading students in the NML calculus division and in the FML again this year. David attended MathCamp III last summer in Massachusetts where he met students with similiar interests and abilities and with whom he corresponds. He recently placed second in a prestigious local mathematics competition, the David Essner Memorial, which awarded him a 75% scholarship to the University of Miami. He has also achieved advanced placement credit in Calculus BC and Computer Science. He is currently enrolled in AP Statistics and Physics and has been studying Japanese. David is very interested in number theory and wishes to become a research professor in the field.
E-mail: [email protected]STEPHEN HICKS is a junior at Gaither High School who competed in Precalculus. He had the second-highest score statewide in both the January 24 and February 28 regionals. Stephen writes, "I have participated in Mu Alpha Theta since seventh grade. I have attended every competition (except two in eighth grade that coincided with county and state MATHCOUNTS). Although I have always placed decently, I only started placing consistently in ninth grade with the help of Paul Thorn, who coached Buchanan's geometry team for the last half of the year, and Mrs. Hammer, who has greatly tempered my love of math since I first had her in a summer class after ninth grade. I spend 5 hours after school twice a week practicing for Mu Alpha Theta and then taking an extra class to prepare for the AP Chemistry exam. I am currently taking two AP classes (Chem and American History) and next year, I plan to take four (European History, Calc BC, Physics C, and Computer Science ). Lately, I've spent most of my time sleeping or doing homework, but when I have free time, I enjoy going out or talking with my friends (online and over the phone). I am currently 3rd in my class, and when I graduate, I expect to be 4th or 5th. I will most likely be a National Merit Finalist, with a 229 (1490 SAT equivalent) on the PSAT. Because of the concurrence of every SAT testing date with a MAO competition, I have yet to take the SAT (but I plan to in May). I plan to attend MIT or PSU and major in math, physics, and computer science (or some combination thereof, possibly minoring in one)."
E-mail: [email protected]JONATHAN HU is a Berkeley Prep student who competed in Geometry. He won first place statewide in both the January 24 and February 28 regionals, and finished second at the Miami Sunset Invitational. Jonathan writes, "I like sports and play both tennis and golf. My favorite sport overall though would be football. I also enjoy playing video and computer games. Also, I play the saxophone. I have done the math club for 2 years now. I enjoy math club because it's fun, and the majority of my friends do it. My favorite class would be math or sciences, such as physics. I enjoy them both because they are related in many aspects. Also, our science teachers are really nice and funny, they make their classes really enjoyable. One day I hope to become either a doctor or an engineer." Jonathan was born in Baltimore.
REZA JACOB is a student at J. P. Taravella High School who competed this year in Calculus. He has won over 60 awards in Mu Alpha Theta, including first place in a Precalculus regional competition, first place in the state Equations & Inequalities test, and first place at state and national competitions in the Trigonometry test. Reza has also received the American Mathematics Competition Certificate of Distinction. He writes, "Recently, I appeared on BEACON Instructional Television's AP Chemistry Review, a live TV show aired to help students prepare for the AP Chemistry Exam. I plan to spend my career practicing medicine as a surgeon. At J. P. Taravella, I founded the Premedical Association, an extracurricular club that exposes students who are interested in medicine to different fields. As president of this organization, I learned a great deal about medicine. I have also volunteered at a local hospital in the surgery department, viewing several cases per week. Besides participating in many activities concerning math and science, I volunteer at Tradewinds County Park as a stable manager. As a mellophone player in the J. P. Taravella Marching Trojan Band, I helped the band win contests such as the Pride of Florida contest at Cape Coral High School and the Crown Jewel contest at Vero Beach. I participated as a French horn player in the Taravella Wind Ensemble, North Area District Band, All County Band, and Youth Orchestra of Florida. On the piano, I have achieved superior ratings as a Jazz and Classical Soloist as ranked by the National Piano Guild. Some of my other hobbies include calculator programming and science fair competition; I won first place for a science fair project on the purification of water. I am also a licensed Grade 8 soccer referee as well as a first degree black belt of Tae Kwon Do."
E-mail: [email protected]KUNAL JAIN is in the 8th grade at Berkeley Prep and competed in Algebra I and later Algebra II this year. Kunal and his twin sister Nelia tied for first in Algebra I at the Miami Sunset Invitational with perfect 120s. Kunal writes, "I enjoy many different subjects in school including math and science. I participate in several extracurricular activities including tennis and basketball with my friends. I also practice piano and participate in the schools violin program. I am part of many different clubs in my school including the Math Club and National Junior Honor Society (NJHS). I am interested in math and this has inspired me to participate in the math competitions of Mu Alpha Theta. I have been participating in them since the 7th grade and plan to keep participating in these competitions. My other interests include playing video games, watching television, and playing table tennis. I plan to try to get into a good college by keeping up my grades and being consistent in school and continue my life in the best way possible."
NELIA JAIN is in the 8th grade at Berkeley Prep and is Kunal's twin sister. She competed in Algebra I this year. She writes, "I enjoy competing in these competitions, and I have made many new friends from this experience. I plan to continue benefiting from this experience all throughout my high school career. I currently attend Berkeley Preparatory School. My favorite subject in school is math, but I also like history and science. I am also involved in playing the violin during my fine arts class in school. I am part of the Student Forum and National Junior Honor Society clubs as well as the Math Club. Outside of school I play the piano and I also play tennis. I would like to start singing in the future. When I am not involved in one of these activities, I enjoy shopping, going to the movies, going out to eat, and also spending time with my friends. I also enjoy drawing, reading, and listening to music. I plan to work very hard during my high school years so that I may be able to get into a good college. I have been thinking about becoming a doctor but I am not sure definitely what my career choice is. I have a long way to go until I have to decide still, so until then I will keep working on math and try to enjoy life as best I can."
ALAN JAMISON is a student at Lake Mary High School who competed in Calculus. He tied for first statewide with a 120 in the January 24 regional competition.
PETER KIM is a student at Buchholz High School who competed in Algebra I. He tied for first in the state with a 120 in the March 28 regional competition.
VIRAJ LAKDAWALA is a junior at Berkeley Prep who competed in Precalculus. He finished third in the individual test at the Miami Sunset Invitational. He writes, "I enjoy watching sports and participating in different ones also. I enjoy tennis, football, and basketball the most. I have participated in math club since 8th grade. I'm in the precalculus division now and I enjoy math club because it's fun, and I have met many new people because of it. I am currently active in Berkeley's math, juggling, and web design clubs. Outside of school, I volunteer at various places including the Hindu Temple of Florida, Museum of Science and Industry, and various other organizations. My favorite class is probably math, but I also like chemistry almost as much. I am not positive where I will end up for college but, in the future, I plan on becoming either a physician, or going into the engineering field. But, either way, I know I will be happy wherever I end up." Viraj was born in New York City but moved to Tampa when he about one year old.
GREG LEIGH is a student at Vero Beach High School who competed in Algebra II. He tied for second statewide in the January 24 regional. Greg said that he has found math intriguing and a challenge since age 4. His first teacher was his sister who taught him how to do his first "complicated" operation - multiplication. His hobbies besides math include basketball, tennis, origami, modeling, computers, and music. He is pursuing a career in either Architecture or Engineering. Greg said that his favorite teacher, hands down, is Mrs. Hiller. "She is one of the few teachers I know who develop friendly relationships with her students, making learning enjoyable as well as prolific. Without her insight and guidance, I believe I would not be an 'outstanding competitor.' All of my success is because of her, and I would just like to say, 'Thank you.' Greg is originally from Salisbury, Connecticut. He moved to Vero Beach at age 9.
DAVID MANNING is a student at Choctawhatchee High School who competed in Precalculus. He tied for the highest score in the state in the March 28 regional competition and tied for second in the state in the February 28 regional competition.
ROSS MCINTOSH is a student at Gaither High School who competed in Precalculus. He tied for the highest score in the state in the March 28 regional competition. He has only missed one Mu Alpha Theta competition since he started competing in Geometry as a ninth grader, and that one was due to a fever of 104. He said that he stays after school five and a half hours every Monday and Thursday to practice for Mu Alpha Theta competitions and to take an AP Chemistry class after school. He will be ranked two in his class, second only to Sean Szeja. His favorite subject is Math with Mrs. Hammer. Ross scored a 1590 on the SAT. He plans to go to Oklahoma Christian University and major in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Math and Physics, or some combination thereof. He was born in Tampa but has lived all over the state. Ross is an avid fan of the Star Wars trilogy and collects all of the paraphernalia that he can.
E-mail: [email protected]DAN MORASESKI is a sophomore at Dr. Phillips High School who competed this year in Calculus. He was one of seven Florida High School students to qualify for the 1998 USA Mathematical Olympiad. Dan finished in 10th place at national MATHCOUNTS as a 7th grader, first place individual in Calculus at the Seattle National Convention as a 9th grader, and scored a perfect 120 in the January 24 regional. He went to IMO training program (MOP) last summer, one of 30 people selected for it. He is currently taking college courses (statistics and differential equations) at the University of Central Florida. Dan says his favorite subject is math and his goals are to become a great mathematician and to keep the Dr. Phillips High School Mu Alpha Theta team competing next year. He says his interests and hobbies are math, road maps, origami, and computers. He is originally from Manalapan, New Jersey.
E-mail: [email protected]STEVEN MUCHOVEJ is a student at Fort Myers High School who competed in Calculus. He tied for first at the Miami Sunset Invitational and had the second-highest score in the state in the February 28 regional competition
EMILY NIU is a student at Deerlake Middle School who competed in Geometry. She scored 120, the highest in the state, in the March 28 regional competition. She tied for first statewide in the January 24 regional, and finished second statewide in the February 28 regional competition.
ANKIT PATEL is a student at Suncoast School who competed in Calculus. His 120 was the highest score in the state in the March 28 regional competition.
PAUL POLLACK is a junior at Gulf High School who competed this year in Calculus. He tied for first at the Florida Invitational at Vero Beach with a perfect 120, and has won first place trophies regional, national, and other invitational Mu Alpha Theta competitions. While in middle school, Paul was a member of the four-person Florida delegation to Washington for National MATHCOUNTS and placed 27th. His particular interest in mathematics is number theory, and he says he is fascinated by, for example, various probabilistic compositeness tests. Eventually, Paul hopes to obtain a doctorate in mathematics, and to do research in computational number theory in the areas of factoring and primality testing. The most influential teacher in his life was his middle school MATHCOUNTS coach Mrs. Sharon Bellak, without whom he says he would never have developed his mathematical ability. In addition to math, Paul says he enjoys reading science fiction and studying basic Christian apologetics/theology.
E-mail: [email protected]
webpage: http://home1.gte.net/paulp/index.htmBEN L. RICHARDSON is a student at Vero Beach High School who competed in Calculus. His 120 was the highest score statewide in the February regionals and he tied for the highest score at both Invitationals. He was one of seven Florida High School students to qualify for the 1998 USA Mathematical Olympiad. Ben writes, "I've participated in Mu Alpha Theta for four years, from Maine to Orlando to Seattle to, now, Chicago, and enjoyed every minute of it. I enjoy all math, but most of all number theory and series. I love competing and lately AHSME/AIME has been occupying most of my time. My other favorite pastime is video games, mostly RPGs (Role Playing Games). Recently, Final Fantasy Tactics has been my passion. I also enjoy programming and physics. I hope to start this summer interning with a local engineering firm. I hope to attend MIT, and enter a career in mathematics."
ADAM SHUKOVSKY is a student at Community School of Naples who competed in Algebra II. He had the highest score in the state in the January 24 regional competition. He tied for first in the state in the regional competition held March 28, and he had the second-highest score statewide in the February 28 regional competition.
ADAM SIEGEL is a sophomore at H. B. Plant High School who competed in Algebra II. He tied for first place with a perfect 120 in the Florida Invitational at Vero Beach and in the statewide regional competition held March 28. He also tied for first on the Mu Test at the State Convention last year. He writes, "I am an avid sports fan, following and playing all major sports. I play tennis several hours a week competitively for my high school team as well as the junior tournament circuit in Florida. I also enjoy several card and board games. I have been good with numbers since an early age and have always loved mathematics with a unique passion. I credit my parents with emphasizing the importance of mathematics, as well as all other educational subjects. My favorite subject is math. My competition success can be traced to my eighth grade math teachers, Mrs. Blaylock and Mrs. Newsome. They were the first teachers to make me strive and work harder at developing my knowledge of mathematics. This has been continued by my current sponsor, Ms. Mary Jane Ferguson. I also benefit from being intense, as well as extremely competitive. I aspire to work in the business and mathematical fields, preferably at Princeton, then Penn's Wharton or Dartmouth's Amos Tuck business schools. My favorite color is blue, while my lucky color is green."
E-mail: [email protected]JOSEPH STARK is a junior at Vero Beach High School who competed in Precalculus. He had the highest score at the Florida Invitational at Vero Beach and tied for first at the Miami Sunset Invitational. Joseph writes: "I am currently an easy-going 17 year old grudging my way through the 11th grade. Besides studying for classes, I do enjoy scuba diving, biking, running, reading, and of course math! I've won numerous math awards and several academic awards. I was born and raised in the town of Vero Beach. I also attend St. Helen's Catholic Church and being an altarboy for the last seven years, have met many wonderful priests. At school, I try to keep involved in extra-curricular activities. I am a member of both our school's math team and the Mastermind's team. Of course, my favorite subjects are Physics/Chemistry/math. And though many teachers have had a lasting influence on me, the one who in 8th grade turned me from a mediocre student into a superb math student filled with enthusiasm was Mrs. Susan Hiller."
E-mail: [email protected]SEAN SZEJA is a junior at Gaither High School who competed in Precalculus. At the national convention in Seattle, Sean earned 4 th and 6 th place on two theta topic tests. He served as Vice-President for the Gaither chapter this year. Sean is ranked first out of the 750 students in Gaither's class of 99. This year, Sean learned Tchaikowsky's piano concerto in B-flat minor and was a finalist in the Central Florida Symphony Young Artist Competition, and he is now working on Rachmaninoff's piano concerto in D-minor, which he described as the most difficult piano piece ever written. Sean earned a 1440 in SAT and attained the 98th percentile for the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. He was also the first sophomore in Gaither history to earn a 5 on the AP Biology exam. Sean is featured in America's Who's Who among American High School Students, and has been commended on his creative solutions to the United States of America Math Talent Search. He says his most influential teacher has been his piano teacher Dr. Wheeler, "for demonstrating the value of patience." Sean says that after College he hopes to "marry well and become a house husband."
E-mail: [email protected].PUSHPAK TAUNK is an 8th grader at Berkeley Preparatory School who competed in Algebra I. He finished second statewide in the February 28th regional. He writes, "I love doing math. That is my favorite subject. My hobbies include collecting football and basketball cards. I also love to play tennis and the piano. My ambitions in life include becoming a doctor. Favorite teacher: Mrs. Schroeder. I like going to Mu Alpha Theta competitions." Pushpak is of Indian ancestry but was born in Libya. He has lived in Florida for five years.
ZUBIN TEJA is a senior at J. P. Taravella High School. He attained a perfect 1600 on the SAT, and is a National Merit Scholar and AP Scholar With Distinction. Zubin is currently the National President of the Mu Alpha Theta, and has achieved many honors at Mu Alpha Theta competitions, including winning the Alpha Individual and tying for first in the Calculus Individual tests at the Florida State Mu Alpha Theta Convention. His favorite areas of mathematics include number theory and topology. Besides mathematics, Zubin occupies his time with sports, public speaking, and community service. He also enjoys computer programming and has created web pages for several organizations. He says that some of his most memorable experiences include white water rafting in Maine and taking college courses and doing research at Florida State University this past summer. Zubin is featured on a weekly radio talk show broadcast to all of South Florida. He will be attending Harvard University in the fall and hopes to major in biochemistry or computer science.
E-Mail: [email protected]BRENT STEPHEN TWORETZKY is a student at J. P. Taravella High School who competed in Precalculus. Brent has been an active member in Taravella's Math club, and Mu Alpha Theta, winning awards at almost every competition (his total amount of awards for the past three years surpassing 130). Other clubs he is involved with are: Foreign Language Honor Society (he has been elected President for next year), National Honor Society, and he is founding a German Honor Society for next year. Brent was born in South Africa and while growing up there, he learned how to speak German, Hebrew, and Afrikaans fluently. In 1994 he moved to Florida to live with his aunt, uncle, and cousin, and was joined a few months later by his parents. Brent hopes to attend Duke University and continue his study of mathematics and computers courses, in which he says he will probably choose a career path.
E-mail: [email protected]MATT WHITLOCK is a student at Berkeley Prep who competed in Algebra I. He tied for second statewide in the January 24th regional. Matt writes, "I enjoy surfing the Internet and writing web pages. I want to become a physicist or an engineer when I grow up. I enjoy math and going to competitions. I want to go to the University of Florida and major in computer science. My favorite color is blue. My favorite teacher is my physics teacher, Mr. MacConnell."
DAVID WILSON is a student at King High School who competed in Precalculus. He was one of seven Florida High School students to qualify for the 1998 USA Mathematical Olympiad.