The casts of some of biggest reality TV shows invaded SUNY Fredonia including the "Biggest Loser," "16 and Pregnant" and "Beauty and the Geek."
Nearly 300 students from area high schools recently competed in the 12th annual High School Mathematics and Science Challenge. The theme this year was reality television and many students dressed up for the occasion. The idea for costumes came about seven years ago, according to Dr. Keary Howard, department of mathematical sciences. Howard who helps organize the event said many schools would come in T-shirts and that is when the challenge came to have a different theme each year.
"Every year I'm amazed at the creativity," Howard said.
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OBSERVER Photo by Samantha McDonnell
Gowanda High School’s “16 and Pregnant” team won the small school division of Sur‘Pi’vor SMADNESS at the SUNY Fredonia Mathematics and Science Challenge. Members of the winning team were Danielle Steffan, Eric Mammoser, Paul Balzer Jr., Kevin Frederickson and Christian Francis.
This year many schools chose to identify themselves with matching T-shirts or even dressing up as different reality show stars. Among those were students who dressed as characters from "Swamp People," "Beauty and the Geek," "Wipeout" and "Survivor" among others. The students spent a morning on campus competing in different science and math related challenges which tested the students abilities and knowledge.
"It's a great experience for high school students and a great way to introduce them to Fredonia," Director of Public Relations Michael Barone said.
Competitions for the challenge included the Amazing Race where students raced around campus solving equations for clues; the Real World Fredonia where students were given a real life problem and had to prove their calculations; Project Runway where students answered questions correctly in order to win articles to produce the best look; Fredonia Idol - Twisted where students had to compete with home-made instruments; American's Best Dance and Math Crew where students showed off their dance skills after correctly answering math questions; Fredonia's Top Model where correct answers were rewarded with makeover materials; Cash Cab where students had to carry their passenger to a destination while answering correctly questions; and Jersey Shore's Number Theory Challenge where students had to use nicknames and catch phrases from the show and show their understanding of the base 10.
Students also competed in Sur'Pi'vor SMADNESS where students were given four numbers randomly. Out of these numbers the students had to create equations to equal the first 10 numbers of pi. The team which completed the task the fastest with correct answers would win. The semi-finals for the competition were held in the morning and the finals were held in the afternoon during the award ceremony.
Howard said many students who participated in the challenge are seniors who recently took AP exams and this competition allows them to have fun while learning.
"(The students) can show off their brains with no pressure," Howard said. "I have a dedicated committee of faculty members who pass on the energy (to students)."
Each winning team was given a trophy as well as T-shirts for team members. Winners included Orchard Park with five trophies; Eden with two trophies; Gowanda with two trophies; Jasper-Troupsburg with one trophy; and Panama with one trophy. Best dressed went to Fredonia High School for their "Beauty and the Greek" costumes.
Schools that participated in the competition were Clymer, Dunkirk, East Aurora, Eden, Falconer, Fredonia, Frewsburg, Forestville, Gowanda, Holy Angels, Jasper-Troupsburg, Lake Shore, Orchard Park, Panama, Pioneer and Southwestern. Students from Jasper-Troupsburg traveled the farthest having to leave at 5 a.m. to make the competition.
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