Annual high school math and statistics competition returns to Mohawk
On May 12, the Mathematics and Statistics department welcomed high school students from the Hamilton, Halton, Grand Erie and Thames Valley regions for another exciting edition of the annual SIGMA Competition.
Designed for students in Grade 10 to 12 college-stream math courses, the event brings together future problem solvers for a day focused on real-world applications of mathematics and statistics at the Fennell campus. An online edition, SIGMA – online, also took place this week, welcoming participating schools from across Ontario for another opportunity to engage with over 200 registered students in problem-solving from the comfort of their classroom.
SIGMA creates an energetic and welcoming atmosphere where students are encouraged to build confidence in their mathematical thinking while discovering new educational pathways and career opportunities. The competition includes a series of hands-on challenges where students work in teams and/or individually to analyze data and apply mathematical reasoning to authentic scenarios inspired by everyday life and industry settings. Throughout the day, students explored the campus, interacted with faculty and student volunteers, and experienced a glimpse of college life.
The success of SIGMA was made possible through the dedication and creativity of the Mathematics and Statistics and Communication faculty team, including Aleksandar Jovic, Frosina Stojanovska-Pocuca, Kathryn Vrhovnik, Laura Fenwick-Sehl, Lindsay Richardson, Maggie Oliphant, Melissa Fox, and Maria Berrafati.
High school teachers have been extremely appreciative of having a competition tailored to their students, one that encourages confidence and engagement beyond the classroom. As one teacher shared, “It was a great experience, so fun for the college level kids to have a competition.”
Students were especially excited for the opportunity to compete for a variety of awards and prizes recognizing teamwork and individual excellence. The awards ceremony brought an added sense of celebration to the day as participants were recognized for their achievements and outstanding performance throughout the competition.
The team thanks the sponsors for helping make this event such a success! E.S. FOX LIMITED, McMaster University Engineering, CINDE, Sobotec Ltd., IDEAWORKS and the Faculty of Engineering, Technology, Business Management and Applied Research at Mohawk College, Harris Learning Solutions, Local 240 OPSEU, Sharp, City of Hamilton, Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists (OACETT) and DigitalEd.
The Mathematics and Statistics department extends its appreciation to all participating schools, teachers, volunteers, and sponsors whose support continues to make SIGMA possible as well as all the Mohawk College admin and staff (Abby Taylor, Ann Francisci, and Rachel Scornaienchi) who helped facilitate the event and helped make it such a success.
The department looks forward to welcoming even more students next year for another inspiring day of mathematical exploration and discovery.