Samo Mathletes hosts American Math Competition

For the first time, Samo hosted the American Math Competition (AMC) which took place on Nov. 8-12. The Samo Mathletes are a group of Samo students who are skilled mathematicians interested in competing in math at a competitive level. As a group, they challenged teams across the Bay League and prepared for their competition at Samo.

In previous years individual students have qualified for the AMC, but this year the Samo mathletes are taking it on as a team. Each year, about 300,000 students partake in the AMC worldwide. In comparison, about two million students took the SAT in 2022, separating AMC's top scorers from the top scorers on the SAT, as the AMC is more selective. The competition is normally held on UCLA’s campus, but team members had not been able to attend in past years, so they made it accessible to more members by moving it to Samo. In adjusting the location of the competition, people who otherwise would not have been able to participate in the competition were able to push themselves and compete in the tests.

This competitive program has been a part of Samo for eight years and is coached by math teacher Emily Anderson. In these competitions, students are tested on their knowledge of all four levels of high school math (geometry, algebra 2, pre-calc. and calculus) through their problem-solving skills, and their ability to work well in a group. Through mathletes, many students have been able to find enjoyment in math. Team member Ben Ostrovsky (’24) has observed peers take an interest in math that had not been there before due to mathletes. 

“I’ve seen my friends find their passions in math, which they first felt indifferent to, through mathletes,” Ostrovksy said. “I believe mathletes is part of undoing the shared misconception about the ‘boringness’ of math.” 

Being a mathlete allows them to gain skills, such as rapidly analyzing problems, and applying knowledge they've learned to the real world. The Mathletes Club is nonetheless demanding but is a great way to build peer connections and challenge yourself in a different environment.

Eleanor Smith / Contributor

Mathletes members reviewing their tests as a team inside the cafeteria before a competition.

“Mathletes is a club like no other because it takes an academic subject, specifically one which a lot of students find boring, and makes it into a fun and cooperative experience,” Ostrovsky stated.

 Having good peer connections is very important in building a strong team dynamic. Strong and positive team cooperation plays a large part in their ability to work well together during competitions. The team can stay close-knit due to the long bus rides to other schools and their shared challenges over tough problems.

Mathlete captains are carefully selected and are determined and motivated individuals. As the previous captains of the last two years have left, large shoes were left to fill. Filling these shoes are team captains Eleanor Smith (’25), Henry Sullivan (’25)  and Hannah Rand (’24). Smith and Sullivan have been on the team since they were freshmen, and have seen the team grow and develop just in the past three years. 

 “We have improved a lot over the years in our other competitions. Throughout the year, we tend to score higher as well,” Smith said. “We all have a shared love for math so we relate closely to each other through that.”

All members work hard inside and outside of school, which helps them do better in practices and competitions. As captains, Smith and Sullivan get to recognize how the team members' hard work pays off. They get to see them apply themselves to the topics and work on topics that they have learned. Being a team captain is important to both Smith and Sullivan. For Smith, she enjoys being able to represent the team and is excited to lead the team in the AMC. 

“I’m excited to participate in it myself and be able to provide this opportunity for the team,” Smith said.

Being able to participate in the competition and lead the team is important to Sullivan since he can develop a more in-depth understanding of the math they cover.

“Being a captain means having a deeper understanding of the material on tests, going above and beyond to learn math, and being a generally good leader,” Sullivan said.