Busch tops regional math contest

Sarah Busch, a grade eight student at St. Francis School here, made it to “the head of the class” by having the top written score for girls in a regional math contest held earlier this month in Thunder Bay.
But despite getting the top written score, Busch was beaten out by Jasmine Toews of Bishop Gallagher as the overall grade eight girls’ champ.
Busch was among 16 St. Francis students to compete in the contest, which attracted about 150 competitors from across Northwestern Ontario.
Meanwhile, Andrew Cousineau, a grade eight at St. Francis, also fared well, placing 15th overall in his division. No other local students cracked the top 20.
Topping the other divisions were Ryan Hancock (Valley Central) for grade eight boys, Danny Rowe (St. John-Red Lake) for grade seven boys, and Rianne Ranta (Claude E. Garton) for grade seven girls.
Teacher Cathy Brindle said she was proud of Busch but also applauded all the students who came out for the event.
“All the students were great for coming out,” she noted. “They gave up their sunny Saturday morning to sit down and write math for three hours.”
Brindle noted this was the first year St. Francis sent students to the competition, and it was the only Fort Frances-based school that took part.
“The Home and School Association enabled us to go, and we’re grateful,” she said. “It was a great learning experience for the kids involved.”
Meanwhile, there’s a chance–if fundraising goes well for the Lakehead District Catholic School Board and its associates–that the four winners may participate in the Ontario Math Olympics in Toronto in early June.