The Selma CHAT Middle School math team struck for the third time and counting. They earned a trophy for the second time in interscholastic competition, math teacher Alfredd Robinson said. Robinson is one of four math teachers at Selma Middle CHAT Academy, all of whom work in the after-school math club. Robinson said the team had won its first trophy last year. Principal Charlotte Griffeth added that she had taken another group to a third somewhat different type of competition in Tennessee a while back, where a trophy was garnered.

The team won fifth place in Algebra I, Division II, in the recent Auburn High School tournament. Division II (the smaller schools) had 10 competing, Robinson said.

The tournament was an all-day event and involved several hundred student mathematicians.

The significance of the award, according to Griffith, is that CHAT students were not only competing with other middle school students statewide, but with high school students as well.

Robinson pointed out that the students do all of their work for the competitions outside the regular school day – Tuesdays and Thursdays after school, some evenings and then spend weekends going to competitions.

He said that the team competes about once a month.

The math club has 16 members and 13 were able to compete in the Auburn meet.

Teachers emphasized that the win was a team effort.

The next event in which the CHAT math team will compete will be held March 6 in Muscle Shoals.

The math teachers at CHAT are Jennifer Julius, Lisa Morenzoni, Derrick Randolph and Robinson.

Students on the CHAT math team are: Zachery Phillip; Myers Hawkin; Mark Black; Jamie Anderson; Deon Rhodes; Tiffany Lewis; Soneaqua Tolbert; Jamal Watters; Ashley Ervin; Ngoc Mason; E.J. Roussell; Nina Robinson; Brandon Hogan; William Danley; Timothy Purdie; and Frank Chestnut.