Mike knows math.
After 31 years as the advance math instructor at Jefferson Davis Community College and one of the college’s annual math tournament, he should.
And even after eight years of retirement, Mike Tedder continues to taste the pi and examine the curve.
“Dr. George McCormick came to me and Jerry Weeks, another math teacher, in 1985 about hosting a math tournament for local high school teams, and we went to work on it,” Tedder said. “I did it for 22 years, and then Loretta Redmon took over and now Jeanette Lymon. They do a good job and still let me look over the tests that the students take to help improve them and catch any errors that sometimes sneak in there.
“I’m glad to say they have confidence in me and ask my opinion,” he said.
On Thursday, Tedder, who now lives in North Carolina, joined students on the JDCC campus for the 30th annual math tournament. Nine high schools, totaling 189 students, participated in the daylong event. Teams competed for trophies and awards on a 35-question exam and 16 “quick answer” cipher questions.
Tedder was there to award the top 10 performing students medals and team trophies.
Jay High School of Jay, Fla. captured the first place trophy. Other schools receiving trophies were W.S. Neal High School, second place; T. R. Miller High School, third place; and, Flomaton High School fourth place. Also participating were Northview High School, Atmore Christian School, Hillcrest High School, Escambia County High School and Escambia Academy.
Lymon, Allen Gainer and Redmon directed the tournament with assistance from the JDCC honors students, SGA representatives and Phi Theta Kappa students.
“One of the most exciting things for me was to see and hear students cheering for their fellow math students to get a problem right,” Tedder said. “We cheer for athletes quite a bit, and they deserve the attention, but I also think that the top math students for one day deserve to get a few cheers.”
Individual awards went to the following students:
• Ryan Garmeson, TRM: top winner and The Michael Tedder Distinguished Math Student award winner;
• Cody Wolfe, JHS ;
• Micah Kemp, JHS;
• Logan Allen, WSN;
• Caitlyn Hayes, WSN;
• Peyton Parker, FHS;
• Justin Sessions, WSN;
• Branden Willis, HHS;
• Kate Smith, FHS; and,
• Emily Russell, JHS.
Team sponsors included:
• HHS: Lynda Cook;
• TRM: Catherine Watson;
• WSN: Jeff Haney;
• FHS: Scott Hammond and Terry Levan;
• EA: Robert Balzer and Mary Blackman;
• ECHS: Timothy Salter:
• NHS: Cora Long and Renee Shipp;
• ACS: Tim Battles and Jeff Stahly;
• JHS: Johnny Wolfe and Amy Hatfield.