With the conclusion of the Student Math League competition, EC’s MESA, (Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement), program came in 13th nationally.

The MESA program supports math and science majors by providing them with workshops and other opportunities in their fields.

“Our program is designed for a number of students to get into a four-year school with a better understanding of their field of interest,” Arturo Hernandez, MESA director, said.

More than 180 colleges participated in the two-round event, with El Camino taking 22nd place in the first round and moving up to 10th in the second.

In order to prepare for the event, participating students are given outside tasks to focus on that are angled more like the contest.

“We have practice sessions. That’s the only way to do well,” Greg Fry, mathematics professor, said.

“It’s not like regular courses.”

This is the third year El Camino participated in the contest, in which they faired better than their first year.

“Its about the same. Last year we were ninth,” Fry said. “But we have gone up since our first year, which we were twenty-ninth.”

With 45 students attending the contest, this is EC’s biggest turn-out since its first time competing.

“It’s a matter of getting the word out and teachers informing their students,” Fry said.

Fry encourages students to get involved early in order to participate in the event as often as possible.

“We hope to inform the lower math classes so they can go several times. Some people don’t go until their last semester,” Fry said. “(Daniel Liu) won four times. The best way to do it well is to go several semesters.”

Liu placed 19th in the contest out of thousands of students and won $350.

Overall, the competition is different from what students see in a classroom, which helps students take a different approach to mathematics.

“It gives them an experience that helps them look at a math problem in different ways. The tests don’t require math, but pre-calculus, and it makes them see it in a different way as the questions are asked differently,” Fry said. “It expands their math skills in a different way than a class.”

The MESA program plans to reach out to more students.

“I believe that, given the opportunity, the program will expand,” Hernandez said. “We already have very strong support from our administrators and deans.”

EC hopes to continue with the math contest with the hope of more participation and continued success.

“I hope to see more people involved and more students,” Fry said. “It would be nice to increase in place (in standings).”