By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

MAPLESVILLE — Maplesville High School placed in two categories at the Academic Challenge for Excellence.

The regional competition puts MHS up against public and private high schools

Nathan Price placed first in the Information Technology competition. Thad Hunter, Regan Dunkin and Brinley Carter won third place as a team in the Algebra II category.

Students competed on March 10, a day schools were closed for teacher in-service.

Price said his category consisted of a test on computer terms and completing an activity in Microsoft Excel. This was Price’s fourth year in a row to take top honors in this category.

He was also awarded a scholarship for placing first in his senior year. Price said he likes computers and enjoys being able to show what he knows during the competition.

Hunter said each student takes the test separately, and then their scores are combined.

“It’s five points if you get it right. Minus two points if it’s wrong and zero points if you don’t put anything,” Hunter said.

Dunkin said the math classes at Maplesville had prepared her for the competition.

“Our math teacher is very extensive,” Dunkin said.

Brinley said she was excited to place.

“I definitely didn’t think we would get third,” Brinley said.

Each of the team members had competed in math categories before, but had never placed.

“It felt good because we are up against schools like Edgewood and Morgan Academy, a bunch of private schools,” Hunter said.

MHS had 19 students compete in various categories.

Sponsor Gina Abbott said she was proud that the students wanted to compete even though it was a day off from school.

“I enjoy them being challenged because when they go there they realize that standards are high everywhere,” Abbott said.

Teacher recommendation and student interest determines which students compete and in what categories.

Abott said there are usually several Chilton County Schools that compete in the event, but they did not this year because school was closed.

The competition was held at Wallace Community College in Selma.