Decorah HS Students Excel at Math Contest

(Front row, L-R): Anna Tallier, Storme Barr, Jordan Reb, Ruby Sullivan, and Kaj Spencer-Berg. (Middle row, L-R): Sara Gehling, Isaac Roberts, Allison Groux, Marlee Duwe, Keely Hermanson, Alysa Hanson, and Anya Lovstuen. (Back row, L-R): Conner Cook, Leila Johnson, Isaac Fish, Andrew Murphy, Noah Lovelace, William Lange, Jackson Berlage, Lauren Johnson, Grace Gerleman, Ella Runestad, and Katherine Bruening. Participants missing from photo: Sarah Mumford, Megan Robinson, Lars Marquardt, Landon Miller, Clay Johanson, Hayden Carlson, Kaia Neal, Peter Wilson, and Beirgen Gunhus-Dansdill

Eight Decorah High School students earned distinguished honors from their efforts during the 21st Annual High School Mathematical Contest in Modeling (HiMCM).  Recognized as Meritorious and earning an invitation to compete in the 5th Annual International Mathematical Modeling Challenge (IM2C) was the team of Grace Gerleman, Lauren Johnson, Anya Lovstuen, and Ruby Sullivan. Recognized as Honorable Mention was the team of Leila Johnson, Noah Lovelace, Kaia Neal, and Peter Wilson. Sponsor Allysen Lovstuen remarked, "While HiMCM is an international competition with students from 14 countries competing, this is the first time we have had students invited to participate in the IM2C. I am excited to see what we can learn from this additional opportunity."

A total of 785 teams¬–with up to 4 students each–from 283 schools competed in the 21st Annual HiMCM made possible by the Consortium for Mathematics and Its Applications (COMAP). All teams worked at their own schools within the contest window of November 9-19, 2018. Each high school team chose from two modeling problems offered and then constructed their solutions.