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Mu Alpha Theta made two


historic first place wins.

page KAITLIN JOSHUA

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the morning, if one had jetted inside from the March winds,
slid past the cafeteria, and ambled to end of the hallway, one would
come upon a dark room that hardly looked different from the other
empty classrooms on a Tuesday morning. However, if one were to
return half way through sixth block, the room would be a buzz. Michelle
Robinson would have been writing long formulas across the dry erase
board and machine parts would have been littered across the floor. The
senior Engineering class was well underway.
In May, the first graduating class of the Engineering Academy strode
across the stage to receive their diplomas. They left with bonds that
would never dissipate. Between fascinating projects, joint math classes,
and strings of jokes, the graduating class certainly bonded over the past
three years, and they left with those bonds in tact. The group also left
with big ideas and dreams.
Engineers are constantly innovating and designing todays
technology," Caroline Runion (12th), the only girl in the graduating
Engineering Academy class, said. I believe without engineers, our
society would not be as advanced as it is.
Runion was well on her way to becoming an engineer. She was the
Mississippi winner and national runner-up for the National Center for

Women and Information Technology (NCWIT) Aspirations in


Computing and was planning to major in Biomedical Engineering.
Runion was not the only girl making strides in the Engineering
Academy. The sophomore engineering class had a 600 percent increase
in the number of female students enrolled. One such student, Rimika
Banerjee, had also placed in the NCWIT Aspirations in Computing
competition.
Though Runion and the other seniors, including Christopher Clark,
Lucas Comfort, Jonah Gandy, Gage Giles, Branden Livingston,
William Pratt, and Eddie Tonore, may have moved on to college and
beyond, the wave of innovation, ideas, and insight coming from the
classroom just beyond the cafeteria had in no way ceased. Though the
blueprints for the upcoming school year had not been drawn up, the
remaining students already realized the impact that their work could
have in the future.
The world is constantly being changed by technology, Connor P.
Jones (11th) said. The engineers are the ones who make that change.
After all, as Steve Jobs once said, Innovation distinguishes between
a leader and a follower.

Mu Alpha Theta/Engineering

170

Far Left An Engineering


Academy project rests on a
desk.
Left Harrison McKinnis
(11th), Parth Malaviya
(10th), and Benjamin Jones
(11th) smile in the middle of
a project.

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In May, the first graduating


Engineering Academy class
walked across the stage.

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competition. The cheers and laughter floated jovially through the


breeze.
This was the first time that we won overall at MSMS since the
beginning of Mu Alpha Theta around 20 years ago, Kaylee Ricchetti
(11th) said. It was really exciting and a milestone for the club.
In April, the team repeated the feat. On a rainy Monday, while
many at Madison Central were half-asleep from a lively Prom two days
earlier, Mu Alpha Theta competed in Pearl, ready for the fierce
competition ahead and confident in their skills. Just after one oclock,
they celebrated. The team had won first place overall at the Mu Alpha
Theta state convention.
I was unsurprised in a good way because we have great math teachers
and students in the club, Priya Patel (11th) said. We also won at
MSMS, so I knew we would have a good shot. With pictures revealing
exuberant grins, happy high-fives, and shiny trophies following the big
win, good was only half of it.

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March, skidded across the still Commons, hopped up all 20 steps, and
made the third turn on the right on a Tuesday morning, one might
have found a cluster of students gathered in Beverly Daniels classroom.
President Zack Bailey (12th) might have been relaying the days
announcements, or members might have been scattered about the
classroom, tutoring their own peers. Though Mu Alpha Theta was just
one club at Madison Central, its helping affects were felt across the
school. As competitions came and went, its competitive affects were
felt across the state.
In February, the Mu Alpha Theta team took on several schools at
the Mississippi School for Math and Sciences Math Competition. As
the bus pulled into the parking lot at the end of the day, students poured
onto the sidewalk to celebrate. Math teachers ran happily down the
front steps, though the clouds above looked as if they were filled with
coming rain. Mu Alpha Theta had just placed first at the MSMS

ing

If one hurried in through the front doors from the rain of late

Job #: 6008210 Pages: 170-171 29-Apr-2016 (RequestID: 4936611d-2a75-459d-8d75-4ef90845175d SpreadID: YJSvg8274PuIp1oUboAMdL00 Type: Preview PDC: https://sto.walsworthyearbooks.com.s3.amazonaws.com/pdf/Proof/4936611d-2a75-459d-8d75-4ef90845175d/YJSvg8274PuIp1oUbo

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Left Alex Dunn (11th) works at a


computer.
Far Above Dalton Clark (12th) and
Branden Livingston (12th) work on
designs.
Above Jesse Li (11th) and Parth
Malaviya (11th) work on a project.

Mu Alpha Theta/Engineering

171

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Above Armeet Singh (11th) and Jason Dao (11th) work on schoolwork at the MSMS
competition.
Above Left Tara Amos (10th) studies for the competition.
Left The team poses with its trophies and banner.
Above Far Left Mary Frances Catington (12th) poses with the team's banner.
Above Far Left Beverly Daniel celebrates the team's win at the state convention.
Above Far Left Zack Bailey (12th) dresses as the man from Monopoly at state convention.

Job #: 6008210 Pages: 170-171 29-Apr-2016 (RequestID: 4936611d-2a75-459d-8d75-4ef90845175d SpreadID: YJSvg8274PuIp1oUboAMdL00 Type: Preview PDC: https://sto.walsworthyearbooks.com.s3.amazonaws.com/pdf/Proof/4936611d-2a75-459d-8d75-4ef90845175d/YJSvg8274PuIp1oUbo

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