1st Place at Auburn Physics Invitational 2004!

I appreciate all of the students who responded to my challenge and prodding

with so many wonderful memories!

First Place at Auburn University Invitational!

Date: February 12, 2004
Location: Auburn, Alabama

      Auburn University hosted the annual Chemistry, Geology, Geography & Physics Invitational Competition at the Auburn University main campus. A hundred high schools from around the state of Alabama were invited to bring teams of outstanding science students. The competition took place on Thursday (February 12th) top science students from high schools of all sizes and types attempted to win as a team in the competition sponsored jointly by the Science Departments at Auburn University. The UMS-Wright Team of Beko Binder, Dima Zakharov, Vanessa Moore and Vidu Yarlagdda of UMS-Wright Preparatory school won first place.

      The competition involved a students publicly responding to posed Geology, Geography, Physics and Chemistry problems in a timed pressured environment. Teams of students responding correctly to the posed questions and problems in the time provided earned points. The team with the most points won.

      Science Chair Dr. Tim Burgess, observed “Our science student team displayed the effort, persistence and skill required to win in a competition that included schools with outstanding students and outstanding programs in the physical sciences. These students are to be congratulated.”

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Combining my love for competition and interest in science was something I did from early on in my career. 

I also liked to do “action research” to evaluate initiatives in my class and department.

Some of the fun I have  had as a teacher is here!

https://drbreminices.blogspot.com/2019/09/awesome-times-documented.html

“Physics First” was a department wide change in science sequence that I wanted to implement if able to.

It was cool to be able to oversee such a change prior to retirement!

https://physicsfirstworks.blogspot.com/2017/03/physics-first-starter.html

Physics Team Penta-peats 2004!

I appreciate all of the students who responded to my challenge and prodding

with so many wonderful memories!

              Physics Bulldogs Penta-Peat at the
University of Alabama High School Physics Contest!!

Date: February 6, 2004

Location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama

      The University of Alabama hosted the 28th annual High School Physics contest held at the Scholastic rooms at Bryant Denny Stadium. The competition was attended by more than 43 teams and 241 students from Alabama and Mississippi. Individual testing provided winning competitors with the possibility of winning one of two four year scholarships at this competition. The UMS-Wright Preparatory School Physics Team placed 1st among all private schools for the fifth consecutive year! In the private school category UMS-Wright (Mobile) won 1st, Randolph School (Huntsville) was 2nd , Briarwood (Birmingham) was 3rd and John Carroll (Birmingham) was 4th.

      The UMS-Wright Physics Team consisted of Dima Zakharov, Richard Friedman, Dennis Blowser and Beko Binder. Jim Bailey supported the team as an alternate. In the “Private Schools Division” the UMS-Wright Team scored 58 points, Randolph scored 35 points and Briarwood scored 32 points.

      The bulldogs also managed to rank among all the schools at the competition regardless of size, type or curriculum focus. Homewood High School was 1st overall, the Mississippi School of Math and Science was 2nd, Vestavia was 3rd and UMS-Wright was 4th among all Physics teams from all schools.

      The team portion of the competition consists of problems solved by each of the 4 team members individually. Physics problems are presented to one representative of each team at the same time. Those who generate correct solutions faster to each of the question earn more points. The sum of all points by all four team members is the team score.

      Only the very best Physics students attend this competition to take part in the individual testing. Individual testing is used to determine scholarship offerings. Four of the five UMS-Wright team members were in the top 20% of the of the individual test takers. Beko Binder was identified as one of the top ten competitors among the 246 competitors that vied for the scholarships.

      Dr. Tim Burgess, observed “Winning first place in five consecutive years at a high stakes and highly competitive Alabama High School Physics Contest is unprecedented. Such a tremendous accomplishment is not solely the result superior intellectual skill, but it is also evidence of great character. Only character can make repeatedly winning at this level possible."