Gulf students take top two places in advanced calculus competition

Russell McCloud took first place and Jonathan Heppner won second place. They are students in Mr. Okun's Calculus class at Gulf.

Both students will receive engraved plaques. Russell also won an advanced Texas Instruments Voyage 200 calculator.

Russell is the son of Russell and Jennifer McCloud of New Port Richey. He will attend the University of Florida and study biomechanical engineering. Jonathan is the son of Steven and Joan Heppner of Holiday. He will attend the University of Central Florida and study mechanical or chemical engineering.

Last year, the same two students and Jason Dunn formed a three-person team which won first place in the first-year Calculus competition.

The number of students in Pasco County who take second-year calculus is small, and there is no team competition. Russell and Jonathan are the only Gulf students who were enrolled in the course this year.

At previous county math contests, Russell won first place individually in Algebra I, Geometry, Precalculus, and first-year Calculus.

The contest is organized each year by Jill Nielsen, the mathematics supervisor for Pasco County. She hired John Geiger, her predecessor in that position, to write the test questions this year.

We expect soon to have more photos from the county math contest, including photos of students from other schools.