Three student from the West High Math Club headed to Minnesota State University to compete at the Minnesota State University High School Mathematics Contest. This year marks West’s 20th anniversary competing at this competition. Minnesota is unusual in that it offers generous cash prizes to top students; Aiden Zhang ’27 took home 50 dollars by placing 2nd overall.

Kai Merril ’25 has been attending math comeptitions since 6th grade. To him, Minnesota was “only an hour and a half competition, not too long, too grueling. But, it was a fun one. It had some really interesting math problems.”

In addition to the competition, students were also given an opportunity to tour the math department and eat a meal at the dining hall.

Merril’s favorite part: “Can I say the food?”