HATTIESBURG, MS (WDAM) -
Twenty new teams have been added to the Pine Belt area. With
six-weeks of competition, playoffs and a Super Bowl, one would only think it's
a football team. Though it takes a certain mathlete to make the team.
Similar to a football league, Jones County Community College
has taken the initiative and created the Bobcat Math League in hopes that more
students will get involved in learning math.
"Name the one program in every high school in Mississippi
that's fully funded. Name the one program where the community sponsors, funds,
actively working to make it a success. What we want to do is capitalize on the
fantastic job that Mississippi's football programs have done and say wait a
minute, every student, boy, girls, small, large, deserves math," says
commercial and industrial realtor Chris Wilson. "That's what we're about and
this junior college has stepped up and said lets make it happen in these eight
counties that are right here.
By working together with the high schools, JCJC success of
college level math can only improve.
"We're wanting to use this also as a stage, a platform to
help improve scores, SAT scores, relationships between the schools and the
communities and things of that nature, says Bobcat Math League Commissioner
Jessica Bunch.
JCJC believes that by making it more of a competition, the Bobcat Math League can build a fan base and more of the community can get involved and support the league.
"We know that people are passionate about competing. We're
wanting to see it grow and be just as competitive as what we see in our
sports," says President of JCJC Jesse Smith. "We want to see it turn our
economy around and people see across the world that this place has a very
special gift in understanding mathematics and how it can benefit businesses."
Over twenty high school teachers gathered at a luncheon
Thursday at JCJC in support of the Bobcat Math League.
"My students are really excited, they want to stay for
practice, they want to know more. When they don't do well they say well you
just didn't teach us enough," says Stringer Attendance Center math teacher
Michelle Green.
Just like football, the teams will have league t-shirts as
well as a Twitter and Facebook page to communicate scores and upload pictures.
The winner will take home cash, prizes, scholarships and trophies.
For
more information and competition schedule click HERE.
