The Minnesota State High School Mathematics League brings talented students together who have an unusual mathematical skill and gives them an opportunity to study topics not commonly taught in the high school curriculum.

Member high schools belong to a division of five to ten schools that are often coordinated with the athletic conferences competitors.  Each school competes in a team of eight or unlimited individual participants.

The season is during the winter sports season, Oct. through Feb. The schools in each division compete five times in a season.

The Orono Math Team’s coach is Kristin VanDenheuvel, who has coached the Orono mathletes for fifteen years. The team finished third overall behind Benilde-St. Margarets and Providence Academy. In addition, there were three mathletes in the top ten in our section.

“My favorite part about math team is watching the kids work together. The students have fun, so I have fun,” Vandenheuvel said.

In the 2014-2015 season, there were 40 mathletes who are involved in the school math team. The Orono Mathletes practice twice a week with Ms. VanDenheuvel.

“Many people think that the math problems at math team meets are difficult. The problems are actually challenging and out of the box, taking different math skills,” senior mathlete Ellie Greiber said.