The Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics (ICTM) Regional High School Mathematics Contest this year will have 420 students from 17 high schools, 40 or so coaches and more than 50 volunteers from the Department of Mathematical Sciences.
Individual and team competitions will be held in a number of subject areas, including algebra, geometry and pre-calculus. Prizes will be awarded to both individuals and teams in each subject, and also to the best all-around performing schools. The winners automatically qualify to compete in the state championship later this spring.
Participating high schools include Antioch, Crystal Lake Central, Crystal Lake South, Elk Grove, Grant Community, Grayslake Central, Grayslake North, Kaneland, Lakes Community, Metea Valley, Neuqua Valley, Oswego, Oswego East, St. Charles East, St. Charles North, Waubonsie Valley and West Aurora.
This will be the 38th year of the ICTM High School Mathematics Contest, and NIU has hosted all but one of these ICTM regional events.
“We’re thrilled to again host this exciting event. The participating teams represent more than 40,000 high school students,” says Anders Linnér, director of the ICTM contest hosted by the Department of Mathematical Sciences. “These academically talented kids, also known as mathletes, are here given a chance to represent their school as part of a team. I recall chatting with one of our proctors that competed in this event when she belonged to her high school’s math team, and she said it changed her life.”
As is tradition, the chair of the Department of Mathematical Sciences, Bernard Harris, will be handing out the awards at the end of the ceremony scheduled to start at 2 p.m. at the Carl Sandburg Auditorium.
