Next time you hear somebody say how the rest of the world is beating American students in math and science, send them to Oxford High School.
Oxford finished second overall in the annual Flint Metro League Math/Science Competition held at the high school April 24.
‘Our students are exceptional,? said Math Teacher Jeannie Jones. ‘To see them compete and fair so well makes us very proud.?
Fifteen students were selected to participate in this year’s competition, which consisted of two parts.
In one part, individual students compete by taking tests in various math and science subjects ranging from biology and physics to algebra and calculus.
‘It’s almost like a final exam for the class,? explained Jones, noting students must be currently enrolled in the subject. ‘It’s really a huge honor to be chosen.?
First place finishers in the individual competitions included Andy Stein (probability and statistics), Adam Heskitt (chemistry lab), Mike Brendel (physics lab) and Athony Sottile (chemistry).
Mark Peter took second place in calculus while Joe Mason placed third in general math.
In the team competition during which students worked together to answer questions, Oxford was tied for first place, but an incorrect answer to the tie-breaker question earned them the silver medal.
But Jones is by no means disappointed.
‘They did an outstanding job,? she said.
Students were given three weeks to prepare for the competition and Jones noted they all did lots of extra studying on their own time.
‘It paid off,? she said.