In a classroom at Herrin Junior High School, 32 students gather weekly to solve complex math problems that would challenge many adults. Under the guidance of math teacher and team sponsor Josh Lemons, the math team has built a reputation for excellence that extends well beyond our community.

Eighth-grader Cole Walker and seventh-grader Asher Henson are two of the team's standouts. At the recent Egyptian chapter MathCounts competition at SIU, Walker placed second overall while Henson secured sixth place. Their strong performances, along with teammate Cole Brandon's eighth-place finish, helped the four-person team earn second place overall—an impressive achievement considering this year's competition combined two regions, essentially pitting them against teams from south of Champaign.

"The last two years we won first place," Lemons explains. "Placing second overall was pretty exciting."

Their success has earned Walker and Henson a trip to the state competition in Oswego, Illinois on March 8, where they'll compete against the best young mathematicians from across Illinois. The top performers at state advance to the national competition in Washington, D.C.

The team practices every Friday after school, with additional sessions before competitions. Their approach is collaborative and supportive. "He usually gives us a worksheet, gives us a few minutes to see what we can do, and then explains how to do it." Lemons clarified that the worksheet provides a topic to focus the conversation for the practice. “We then look at extensions not seen in the regular class curriculum. 

Videos provide sets of alternative solutions and strategies for these types of problems.” Then Lemons facilitates a discussion on how the students came to their solutions using various methods.

What makes Herrin's math team special is their diversity. "One of the mottos that we try to go with is 'strength in numbers,'" says Lemons. Unlike some schools that field teams of just four to eight students, Herrin's large roster includes sixth, seventh, and eighth graders with varying interests and talents.

The team reflects gender balance—16 girls and 16 boys—and members participate in numerous other activities. Henson dreams of a career as a professional golfer, and both boys participate in Scholar Bowl and Brain Games competitions. Their academic interests haven't pigeonholed them into the stereotypical "nerd" category, though Walker notes that being involved in multiple activities helps create a well-rounded experience.

Lemons takes pride in developing students who can think critically and work as a team. He sees the math team as "just a stepping stone to bigger and better places," helping prepare students for high school and beyond.

The competitions themselves are intense. Students face three rounds: an individual sprint (30 questions in 40 minutes without calculators), a target round (pairs of problems with strict time limits), and a team round where groups of four must collaborate on challenging problems. The most exciting component might be the countdown round—a one-on-one, buzzer-style competition in front of a large audience.

Lemons starts recruiting early, often spotting talent in elementary school. Each year, he administers a qualifying test with problems from past competitions to identify promising mathematicians. The team's reputation for success continues to grow, with eighth-graders often advancing to work with the high school's award-winning math team.

As Walker and Henson prepare for the state competition, they're focused on bringing pride back to Herrin with a top-10 finish. 

Regardless of the outcome, these young mathematicians are building skills that will serve them well as they pursue their ambitious dreams—whether at SIU-C, the University of Texas, Harvard, or beyond.