On March 12, the Saturday before Pi Day, fifth- and sixth-grade mathletes from across Bulloch County assembled at Southeast Bulloch High School for the 38th Annual Penny Sikes Math Tournament, the first time the event has been held in person since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A total of 16 schools, including all of Bulloch County Schools’ elementary and middle schools, Bulloch Academy, Bible Baptist Christian Academy, and Trinity Christian Schools, accepted the challenge, and their teams competed for both individual and team honors. The event is organized and hosted each year by the Southeast Bulloch High School Math Department and sponsored by Morris Bank.
The event is named for Penny Sikes, a former Bulloch County Schools math teacher and administrator, who began the tournament in 1984. Ms. Sikes attended Saturday’s event. She greeted faculty, students, and parents prior to the 11:30 a.m. awards ceremony where she commended students for their efforts to prepare and compete and parents’ commitment to help their children get to math team practices and competitions. (Pictured Above: Penny Sikes, the math tournament’s founder and namesake, greets faculty, students, and parents prior to the event’s awards ceremony.)
The following is a list of winners for this year’s tournament:
Fifth-Grade Individual Winners
Paisley Parrish, 10th, Bulloch Academy; Parker Perryman, 9th, Brooklet Elementary; Brian Lin, 8th, Julia P. Bryant Elementary; Tal Collins, 7th, Julia P. Bryant Elementary; Vivienne Lee, 6th, Nevils Elementary; Tiege Carrol, 5th, Brooklet Elementary; Jamie Braddock, 4th, Julia P. Bryant Elementary; Aden Prescott, 3rd, Mill Creek Elementary; Lucas Pryor, 2nd, Nevils Elementary; Daniel Choi, 1st, Brooklet Elementary;
Sixth-Grade Individual Winners
Jason Stevens, 10th, Southeast Bulloch Middle; Bryce Parrish, 9th, Bulloch Academy; Chaegeong Oh, 8th, William James Middle; Pierce Jarrell, 7th, Southeast Bulloch Middle; Janie Cowan, 6th, Southeast Bulloch Middle; Alina Bravo, 5th, Southeast Bulloch Middle; Christina Zheng, 4th, William James Middle; Sydney Lane, 3rd, Trinity Christian School; Austin Wheaton, 2nd, William James Middle; Mia Kersey, 1st, Southeast Bulloch Middle;
Fifth-Grade Team Ciphering Winners
Mill Creek Elementary School – 1st Place; Brooklet Elementary School – 2nd Place; Julia P. Bryant Elementary School – 3rd Place
Sixth-Grade Team Ciphering Winners
William James Middle School – 1st Place with a perfect score; Southeast Bulloch Middle School – 2nd Place; Bulloch Academy – 3rd Place
Overall Team Winners for Fifth Grade
Brooklet Elementary School – 1st Place; Mill Creek Elementary School – 2nd Place; Julia P. Bryant – 3rd Place
Overall Team Winners for Sixth Grade
Southeast Bulloch Middle School – 1st Place; William James Middle School – 2nd Place; Bulloch Academy – 3rd Place.
