Elementary students compete for a chance to represent Upshur County at regional math field day in March

Beth Christian Broschart
January 16, 2020

BUCKHANNON – Tuesday may have seemed like any other winter day to most people, but those who work in Upshur County Schools know that Tuesday was a special one.

Not only did superintendent Dr. Sara Lewis Stankus award Upshur Stars to standout students and teachers at the Jan. 14 Board of Education meeting, students who excel in math earned accolades at the Upshur County Math Field Day, which got underway that morning.

Union Elementary School fourth-grade students Seth Auvil and Aubry Shay show the floatable item they designed during the STEAM portion of Tuesday’s Upshur County Math Field Day.

Upshur County Math Field Day took place at the Event Center at Brushy Fork, where elementary students in fourth and fifth grades represented their schools in competition.

Union Elementary School Principal Michelle Fleming explained the Math Field Day competition took place between three students and an alternate from each Upshur County Elementary School who placed highest in their school competitions. The top three in each grade – fourth and fifth – plus an alternate move on to the regional math field day competition held in March.

Fifth-graders from each Upshur County Elementary School gather Tuesday for Upshur County Math Field Day at the Event Center at Brushy Fork. Each school sent three students to represent their school, and those representatives had scored the highest at the individual school math field day competition.

The directors of the Upshur County Math Field Day were Jodi Johnson and Tim Derico.

Fourth-graders from each elementary school in Upshur County compete during Tuesday’s Math Field Day at the Event Center at Brushy Fork.

As Superintendent Dr. Sara Lewis Stankus named those earning the top spots in the competition, she reminded each student if they do not get first, second or third place in the competition, they are not to worry.

“Don’t beat yourself up if you do not win one of the top places in today’s competition,” Stankus said. “You are lucky you made it this far – you are smart, and you are representing your school. You are all winners because you are here.”

Upshur County Math Field Day participants each gave their best estimate of how many M&Ms were in a water bottle at the quantity estimation station. Upshur County Superintendent Dr. Sara Lewis Stankus congratulates winner Easton Gregory.

The winner of the quantity estimation – the person who guessed closest to the number of M&M candies in a water bottle – was Easton Gregory. The water bottle contained 677 M&Ms.

Fourth-grade winners in Tuesday’s Math Field Day competition are alternate Owen Cartwright from Tennerton Elementary; third place, Eliza Knight from French Creek Elementary; second place, Kaidin Wagner from Hodgesville Elementary; and first place, Kenton Stump from French Creek Elementary.

Winners in the fourth grade Upshur County Math Field Day Competition include first place, Kenton Stump, French Creek Elementary School; second place, Kaidin Wagner, Hodgesville Elementary School; third place, Eliza Knight, French Creek Elementary School; and alternate, Owen Cartwright from Tennerton Elementary School.

Upshur County Math Field Day fifth-grade winners are alternate Johnny Chen from Buckhannon Academy Elementary; third place, Rebecca Pastorius from Union Elementary; second place, Chace Wayne Tennerton Elementary; and first place, Kadyn Baisden from French Creek Elementary.

Fifth-grade winners were first place Kadyn Baisden, French Creek Elementary School; second place Chace Wayne, Tennerton Elementary School; third place, Rebecca Pastorius, Union Elementary School; and Johnny Chen, alternate, Buckhannon Academy Elementary School.