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St. Joe takes overall first place award at Science and Mathematics Tournament Eight students score in top 10 percent in chemistry, math and physics subject-area tests
MADISON, Miss. (Monday, Feb. 13, 2023) – St. Joseph Catholic School took home the overall first place trophy at the annual Mississippi Science and Mathematics Tournament hosted by Mississippi College in Clinton. The tournament saw eight St. Joe students score in the top 10 percent in chemistry, math and physics subject-area tests. That included three who scored in the top 2 percent: Teddy Klopman in math, Andrew Doherty in chemistry and Leah Munoz in physics. “I am so proud of our students’ work and accomplishments,” said Dr. Dena Kinsey, St. Joe principal. “We have some amazing students at St. Joe, and I can’t think of a better way to showcase their talent than at the Science and Mathematics Tournament. “Taking the top overall award and scoring as well as our students did in the subject-area tests shows how well St. Joe prepares students for college and beyond. This is just one example of the many talented and hard-working teachers and students we have.” St. Joseph Catholic School, founded in 1870 by the Sisters of Mercy, offers seventh- through 12th-grade students of all faith backgrounds a rigorous college prep curriculum grounded in the teachings of the Catholic Church. St. Joe, 308 New Mannsdale Road in Madison just west of the Interstate 55-Mississippi 463 interchange, is accredited by the Mid-South Association of Independent Schools and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools – the accrediting arm of Cognia. St. Joe sent an 11-student delegation to the Mississippi Science and Mathematics Tournament. Hundreds of students from schools across the state attended the event Feb. 9 and 10 – the first tournament since 2020, before the Covid-19 pandemic. The tournament, which began in 1975, is the oldest such academic competition in Mississippi for high school students. More than 400 students from such schools as Clinton High School, East Rankin Academy, and others attended this year. Students attending on Friday, Feb. 10, took a subject-area test in the morning that covered math, biology, chemistry, physics or computer science. Eight St. Joe students won awards for their scores on the tests.
That afternoon saw students compete in a quiz bowl-type competition featuring four-person teams. Students fielded questions on math, physics, biology and chemistry. St. Joe’s team of Topik, Doherty, Tice and senior Thomas Klopman defeated three other teams. The overall tournament winner was based on a school’s total points for the day, with St. Joe taking home the first place trophy. “The quiz bowl competition was extremely hard,” said Julie Muse, a sponsoring math teacher at St. Joe who helped prepare students for the competition. “Students had one minute to answer college-level questions,” she said. “The pressure was intense. Our students showed how smart they are, winning first-place in both rounds. The second round wasn’t even close. Our students blew the competition away.”
PHOTO ON RIGHT St. Joseph Catholic School took home the overall first place trophy from this year’s Mississippi Science and Mathematics Tournament, which took place on the Mississippi College campus in Clinton on Thursday and Friday, Feb. 9 and 10. St. Joe sent an 11-student delegation to the event. Pictured from left: Alexia Brown; Rachel Donaldson; Lauren Abadie, who scored in the top 10 percent on the math test; Leah Munoz, who scored in the top 2 percent in physics; Daniel Dear, who scored in the top 3 percent in physics; Lockard Williams, who scored in the top 3 percent in chemistry; Andrew Doherty, who scored in the top 2 percent in chemistry and was on the quiz bowl team; J.J. Tice, who scored in the top 10 percent in math and was on the quiz bowl team; Teddy Klopman, who scored in the top 2 percent in math; Thomas Klopman, who was a member of the quiz bowl team; and Mary Topik, who scored in the top 10 percent in chemistry and was on the quiz bowl team. |