On Thursday, 501 of Mississippi’s brightest mathematicians took part in the annual Mu Alpha Theta Math Tournament hosted by the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science.
More than 24 public and private schools from all over Mississippi participated in the event. The tournament consisted of written tests, team ciphering and potpourri competitions. Each competition was carefully crafted and scored by the MSMS Mu Alpha Theta chapter, providing a challenging yet rewarding experience for all involved.
As the tournament grows each year, so does the complexity of organizing it. Tournament Coordinator and MSMS faculty member Shae Koenigsberger reflected on the preparations, saying, “We begin planning in September. My biggest challenge is organizing such a large event, while also training students and trying to be a decent teacher at the same time.”
Despite the challenges, Koenigsberger emphasized the satisfaction that comes from watching students take ownership of the event.
“The volunteers always enjoy helping, and watching our students lead this event is very rewarding as a teacher,” she said.
Andy Chen, a senior at MSMS and this year’s tournament chair, played a central role in orchestrating the event. Reflecting on his responsibilities, Andy shared how the work was divided among the students.
“We break down the work into three groups of students: volunteers from Math Outreach, committee heads and tournament chairs. Volunteers help on tournament day with monitoring testing, setup and more,” he said. “Committee heads, chosen by the math faculty, write the test questions and assist with grading and awards. Tournament chairs, like myself, are elected at the end of our junior year and work closely with Mrs. Koenigsberger to plan, execute and reflect on the tournament.”
This year marked a change in structure, with three tournament chairs instead of the usual two.
Andy explained the benefit of this change, saying, “My teammates, Joey (Knight), Ramse (Jefferson) and I created a formal set of math standards based on the Mississippi math curriculum. Committee heads used this as a guide for writing questions. Without all three of us, we wouldn’t have had the time to create this resource, but now future students can benefit from it for years to come.”
When asked about the most rewarding part of being involved in the tournament, Andy shared a personal sentiment.
“There’s a quote I like by Andrew Carnegie: ‘My heart is in the work.’ I couldn’t put it better myself,” he said. “Thursday was so much fun but so was every hour spent reviewing questions, writing emails, and counting scratch paper. I truly enjoyed every step along the way, and I think that’s the attitude that makes for a great tournament.”
Having participated in the tournament for four years – first as a competitor representing DeSoto Central High School, then as a committee head, and now as a tournament chair – Andy has a deep personal connection to the event. He recalled a fond memory from his freshman year.
“One of my most vivid freshman-year memories is eating at Zaxby’s with Jaxon, Ester and McKenzie before the awards ceremony,” he said.
But beyond the sense of community, Andy acknowledged the academic impact the event has had on him.
“This tournament has cultivated a love for math that has changed my life,” he said. “I came to MSMS intending to pursue biology, and now I’m applying to college for mathematics.”
Reflecting on the value of the tournament, Andy said, “The creativity of our committee members challenges students to question, abandon and then rediscover the lessons they learn in the classroom. Maybe you can find the first derivative of sine, but how about the 2025th derivative?”
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