Numbers And Confidence Add Up: SMECO Math Challenge Winners Announced Across St. Mary’s County

LEONARDTOWN, Md. — Top young mathematicians across St. Mary’s County put their problem-solving skills to the test last month as the annual SMECO Elementary Math Challenge brought together dozens of teams in a fast-paced academic competition.

Held March 25, the competition featured 244 fourth- and fifth-grade students from 19 elementary schools, competing in both individual and team challenges designed to test speed, accuracy and collaboration.

SMECO Elementary Math Challenge Winners

4th Grade Division

Among fourth-grade teams, Benjamin Banneker Elementary School claimed first place, followed by Dynard Elementary School in second and Green Holly Elementary School in third. Hollywood Elementary School and Evergreen Elementary School rounded out the top five.

Top individual honors were also awarded. In fourth grade, Alyan Talukdar of C.W.F. Duke Elementary School placed first, followed by Tyler Hunt of Mechanicsville Elementary School and Sawyer Lefton of Green Holly Elementary School.

5th Grade Division

In the fifth-grade division, Chesapeake Public Charter School earned first-place honors, with Evergreen Elementary School finishing second and Leonardtown Elementary School taking third. Father Andrew White School and Piney Point Elementary School completed the top five.

For fifth grade, top individual honors went to Keegan D. of Chesapeake Public Charter School, who took first place. Everett Kotora of C.W.F. Duke Elementary School finished second, followed by Theobald Obenski, also of Chesapeake Public Charter School, in third.

More Than A Competition At Park Hall Elementary

While only a handful of schools took home top honors, the impact of the competition was evident in classrooms across the county, including at Park Hall Elementary School, where students embraced the challenge with enthusiasm and determination.

Inside the school, math team members prepared through a mix of practice problems, teamwork exercises and targeted skill-building designed to mirror the competition environment.

“The students take a quick quiz created from previous math competitions,” said fifth-grade math team coach Mr. Shaffer in an interview with The BayNet. “There is a discussion with classroom teachers about work efficiency and if the students would be a good candidate for the math team.”

Preparation goes beyond worksheets, he said, focusing on both individual thinking and collaboration.

“The preparation is finding individual and team problems for the students,” Shaffer explained. “Also sometimes finding appropriate math software that focuses on the math objectives that will be applied for the SMECO Math competition.”

Building Confidence Through Problem-Solving

“For Shaffer, success isn’t just about getting the right answer, it’s about how students approach challenges.”

“We emphasize the steps for problem solving, the importance of working together in a group, and listening to other students’ ways of solving things,” he said. “In addition, we talk a lot about trying to solve problems fast and with efficiency.”

That mindset shift is often visible over time.

“When we have our first math team practice, a lot of students are nervous. They don’t want to make mistakes,” Shaffer said. “However, over time, the students become more confident and the interactions and discussions about math become very normal. Math is not a scary thing anymore.”

‘Math Is Fun’: Students Share Their Perspective

At Park Hall, students echoed that growing confidence, describing math not as intimidating, but exciting.

From solving tricky problems to working together as a team, students shared a common theme: math can be fun when approached with curiosity and confidence.

Representing Their School

Being selected for the math team is an honor students take seriously, Shaffer said.

“I feel they take a lot of pride being on the math team,” he said. “They realize they were selected out of around 100 students in the fifth grade. They just want to do their best for the school and their teammates.”

Even without placing among the winners, the experience carries long-term value, especially as students begin exploring STEM fields.

“Math is a part of every STEM project,” Shaffer added. “Students always have to figure out different formulas and calculations. In addition, the students have to be very detailed with their work and their problem-solving skills.”

A Foundation That Goes Beyond The Scoreboard

While this year’s winners earned top honors, classrooms like those at Park Hall Elementary highlight a broader success — one rooted in growth, teamwork and confidence.

“I wouldn’t say [this group is] unique, but they are very determined to do their best,” Shaffer said. “That is all I can ask for as a math coach.”

As the competition continues to inspire students across the county, one thing is clear: whether on the leaderboard or in the classroom, a love for learning is adding up to something much bigger.

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