Physics Team Three-peats 1st Place 2002!

I appreciate all of the students who responded to my challenge 

and prodding with so many wonderful memories!

University of Alabama High School Physics Competition
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
February 1, 2002

UMS-Wright Preparatory School placed two teams among the top three teams for a third consecutive year at the 26th Annual University of Alabama High School Physics Contest on Friday, February 1, 2002  in Tuscaloosa, Alabama..  More than 25 schools, sixty teams and 240 of the best Physics students from three southeastern states participated.  The competition was fierce and the UMS-Wright A-Team remained in a dead tie for first with the Mississippi School of Math and Science through 16 rounds until a final "overtime round".
During the regular competitive rounds one table captain gave a wrong question to one of the 60 teams.  The score for this round was subtracted and an over-time round replaced this score.  An overall tie for first place with the Mississippi School of Math and Science was narrowly missed by one question.  Only 1 point separated UMS-Wright from a 1st Place finish in the regular school division.
The UMS-Wright Physics A-Team won 2nd Place and the B-Team won 3rd Place at the 26th Annual Alabama High School Physics Competition. Perfect performances were scored by Michael Owens, Brantley Beaird and Dima Zakharov. The A Team included Brantley Beaird, Michael Owens, Hunter Shain and Larry Hu. The B-Team competitors included Luke Burgess, Adam Georgas, Matt Meduna and Dima Zakharov.
Top 25%:       Luke Burgess, Adam Georgas, Dima Zakharov
Matt Meduna, Larry Hu, Richard Friedman

UMS-Wright students also collected a number of individual awards.  Michael Owens (a junior) won the individual 6th place while Hunter Shain and Brantley Beaird also finished among the top 10% of the physics student competitors.
Dr. Tim Burgess, observed  “The team this year scored enough points during the regular rounds of the competition to win first among all schools.  It is difficult to accept falling short of 1st Place by a single point in an overtime round.  I am proud of the effort and skills displayed by our teams.  It is a tremendous accomplishment for any school to finish among the top three schools for four consecutive years as our UMS-Wright students have.  These students deserve many kudos.”

Left Picture: UMS-W Physics A-Team just before Physics Contest
     Larry Hu, Michael Owens, Brantley Beaird, Hunter Shain
Right Picture: UMS-W Physics B-Team just before Physics Contest

Results:
UMS-Wright A-Team Members:

Hunter Shain, Brantley Beaird, Michael Owens, Larry Hu

UMS-Wright B-Team Members:

Luke Burgess, Adam Georgas, Matt Meduan, Dima Zakharov

Alternates: Jeb Bailey

Individual Awards:

Tied for 6^th: Michael Owens (Junior)

Top 10%: Brantley Beaird, Hunter Shain, Michael Owens

Sponsor: Dr. Tim Burgess

Notes (score as of day of competition):

1^st: Randolph High (61)

2^nd UMS-W A (60)

3^rd UMS-W  B (53)

8^th McGill-Toolen (32)

Overall 1^st: Mississippi School of Math & Science (65)

Student Selected for MIT Physics Honors 2001!

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

with so many wonderful memories!

Student Wins and is Honored at MIT

August 29, 2001

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, Massachusetts

       Alex Moore, a Mobile area student (and UMS-Wright Preparatory graduate) was admitted into the Honors Physics program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. MIT is a highly selective university that has world wide reputation for providing a superior science and technology related education. A limited number of the freshman class at MIT are admitted into this highly selective Honors program annually. The program is designed to bring together (into a single class) some of the most promising students at the university.

       Selection required that the applicants (all members of the MIT freshman class) take a competitive Physics Exam. The competitive testing was provided to 111 aspiring freshman on August 22, 2001. The following week Alex Moore was notified he was selected as one of the 17 students in the program.

       Dr. Burgess, Chair of the UMS-Wright Science Department, said “It was certainly common knowledge at our school that Alex was a special student. Evidence now indicates that MIT agrees with our assessment. We were very fortunate to have a student like Alex with us at this school. His influence on the science department will remain for many years to come.”

UMS-Wright Preparatory School

65 N. Mobile St.

Mobile, Alabama 36607

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Dr. Tim Burgess, Science Department Chair

==============

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

Chess Team Winners 2001!

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

with so many wonderful memories!

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Ms. Jane Williams, Academic Dean
Dr. Tim Burgess, Science Chair
Dr. Tony Havard, Headmaster
UMS-Wright Preparatory School
334-479-6551       Fax: 334-470-9050

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE`
March 9, 2001
Bulldogs Win in Regional Chess League 

       The UMS-Wright Chess Team finished regional South Alabama Scholastic Chess League tournament play at McGill-Toolen on Thursday March 8th. 2001.  The bulldogs finished with  a sweeping  match victory by the A-Team, B-Team and C-Team.  

       Wins on the A-Team were posted by Matt “Master” Meduna,  James “Strangler” Saad, “Cool Hand” Luke Burgess, Brent “Viper” Vegliacich.  Wins were  also posted by Lane Elmore, CJ McMillian, Andrew MacRae, Will Clark, Kenny McElhaney, Hunter Elmore, David Coates, Grace Burgess, Larry Hu and Brantley Beaird.

       The UMS-Wright A-Team  finished 4th  among 23 schools and all 69 teams during the 2000-2001 school year.  The UMS-Wright B-Team finished 2nd  among all B-Teams.  During  the season UMS-Wright won 14 of 18 team  matches against other schools.  UMS-Wright has accepted an invitation to compete in the state team chess tournament in April.

==============

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 Competition Win 2001!

I appreciate all of the students who responded to my challenge 

and prodding with so many wonderful memories!

UMS-Wright Wins 1st & 2nd

at Alabama High School Physics Contest 2001!

Tuscaloosa, Alabama, February 2, 2001

    UMS-Wright students  won 1st & 2nd place in the regular school division at the 25th Annual University of Alabama High School Physics Contest held  at the Ferguson Center on the University of Alabama campus in Tuscaloosa, AL.  Three hundred forty students on more than forty teams (twenty different schools) participated.      The prestigious University of Alabama High School Contest attracted outstanding teams of students from outstanding Physics programs in  Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee this year.  

The UMS-Wright A-Team won 1st in the regular school division.  Members of the team  included Hunter Shain, James Saad, Alex Moore and Will Moseley.  The  UMS-Wright B-Team won 2nd in the regular school division.   Members of the B-Team included Brantley Beaird, Brandon Pontius, Logan Gewin and Larry Hu.  The scores for both teams far outstripped regular schools.  The UMS-W A-Team outscored the highest schools in the Math & Science Magnet School Division. [Only the Homewood High School team scored higher that the UMS-Wright A-Team.]

   Alex Moore of UMS-Wright was recognized for obtaining the third highest individual score at the competition. 

   Dr. Tim Burgess, observed  “Clearly the senior class has established a new UMS-Wright tradition.  They have placed in this prestigious competition as members of the A-Team each of  the last three  years.   It is a credit to both their talent and work ethic.“

SHORT PROSE VERSION

     The UMS-Wright stunned more than 39 Physics Teams from Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee at the prestigious 25th Annual University of Alabama High School Physics Contest on Friday, February 2nd

     The UMS-Wright A-Team manned by Hunter Shain, James Saad, Alex Moore and Will Moseley finished in 1st Place.  The UMS-Wright B-Team of  Brantley Beaird, Brandon Pontius, Logan Gewin and Larry Hu won 2nd Place decisively with a 40% margin of victory over the next highest team.  The points acquired by both UMS-Wright Teams outstripped even the highest scoring teams in the Math & Science Magnet School division.

     This year marked the third consecutive year that UMS-Wright has taken third place or higher at this prestigious competition.  UMS-Wright has won the 1st Place Team Award for two consecutive years.  Alex Moore posted a 3rd place individual performance among 340 participants.

UMS-Wright A-Team Members:

Hunter Shain, James Saad, Alex Moore, Will Moseley

UMS-Wright B-Team Members:

Brantley Beaird, Brandon Pontius, Logan Gewin, Larry Hu

Alternate: Luke Burgess

Individual Awards:

Tied for 3rd Alex Moore

Physics Competition Champions 2000!

I appreciate all of the students who responded to my challenge 

and prodding with so many wonderful memories!

Tuscaloosa, Alabama, February 4, 2000

    UMS-Wright students  won 1st overall at the 24th Annual University of Alabama High School Physics Contest held  at the Ferguson Center on the University of Alabama campus.  One team of four students from UMS-Wright Preparatory School placed 1st  among all teams.  A second team from UMS-Wright tied for 2nd in the regular school division.

       The prestigious University of Alabama High School Contest attracts teams of students from the best Physics programs in  Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Tennessee.  The UMS-Wright A-Team scored the highest point total of all schools in all divisions.  The UMS-Wright B-Team scored enough points to win 2nd place.  Sam Lair of UMS-Wright Preparatory School won 3rd place in the individual competition which  was based on a 90 minute written physics test administered to all students at the competition.

       Dr. Tim Burgess, observed  “I have never seen a Mobile area school dominate this prestigious  contest as was done today.  The UMS-Wright Physics Team displayed talent, composure and tremendous skill in all phases of this competition. Sam Lair and Will Moseley  provided the type of leadership that lead this team to unparalleled success.

UMS-Wright A-Team Performance

Sam Lair, Will Moseley, Alex Moore, James Saad

    The cipher competition included an exciting come from  behind effort in the second round.  While the team was in fourth place Will Moseley answered a string of  difficult problems that few other competitors answered successfully.  In the following rounds Alex Moore and James Saad increased the lead with answers to problems in kinematics, dynamics, energy, electricity and modern physics.  James Saad scored the most team points (16 points)

UMS-Wright B-Team Performance

Brent Vegliacich, Hunter Shain, Brantley Beaird, Ian MacRae

     The score of the UMS-Wright B-Team tied the second place score in the regular school division.   Hunter Shain scored a team high 13 points.  The B-Team could only be awarded second place if  no other UMS-Wright team had  won [only one team from any  one school can get an award]. 

2000 University of Alabama

High School Physics Contest

at the Ferguson Center at the University of Alabama 

on Friday, February 4, 2000

UMS A-Team

1st Place

Overall

UMS-W B-Team

2nd Place

in regular school division

Presidential Award in Science 1992!

Ten years after my first full time teaching position I was awarded a
1992 Presidential Award for 
Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching
by the National Science Foundation

      That is the envelope that arrived in the mail with my Presidential Award notice from the White House.  The letter was awesome.

       My marriage and six children are first so that makes this the 9th most memorable event in my life!  It was wonderful to share this event with my wife that included a trip to Washington D.C. with a stay at push hotels, dinners at the White House, talk with national science adviser, spend time with the president, share dinner with the science teacher of his daughter then spend another two days snowed in and unable to depart.  We used the time walking through the snow about the area and explored the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.
       You spent much of your time going up on a stage to meet dignitaries and accept letters and trinkets and get your picture taken.  Everyone got to shake the hand of the president.  I spent a lunch with "Bill Nye the Science Guy" and a science teacher from Sidwell Friends School that taught the president's daughter (at that time she was in middle school).  The conversation I remember was shared by the science teacher who said that because the president's daughter felt ill and wanted an aspirin that had to call her parents.  They asked her "Which parent do you want us to call?" she said "My Dad.  My mother is very busy."

       The other story I remember was the president speaking on the West Wing of the White House.  President Bill Clinton shared how he always had trouble in math and algebra and never understood it fully and then after he got out of school he wondered "Why did I learn all that algebra and advance math...I never use it.  Now I have a daughter taking algebra and she is always needing help.  So no I know I learned it so I could help my daughter when she had to take it!"
       The most fun was having my wife there with me!

          In the letter below Dr. F. Neff Weber writes a recommendation I will always hold dear.  He knows who I am, he knows me as a person, he know me as a student and at a teacher.  No one was more qualified to write a letter evaluating me as professionally or as a person.  I was touched to read it! 

      On March 11, 1993 this is a picture of me in a daze after a full day of meeting dignitaries and the president.  The new president, Bill Clinton, did not pose for individual pictures which each award winner as the previous presidents had but he did meet with us and shared his gratitude for what the science and math teachers honored that year were doing for the county.

External Link
https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/1993/04/28/31honors.h12.html

==============

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

Windsor Connecticut Athletic Hall of Fame

     Competition was important to me growing up.  Serving as a member of a team taught me valuable lessons about training, discipline, preparation and doing what my team needed done.  My coach moved me into positions that he thought would help the team. He was right about a number of moves because that team won a championship.  42 years later I was able to visit with that team again and tell them of the impact competition had on my role as an academic coach and educator.