News release Public Information Office   SLU 10880   Hammond, LA 70402   phone: 985-549-2341   fax: 985-549-2061 publicinfo@selu.edu     www.selu.edu/news Contact: Christina Chapple Date: 4/17/03   Click on image for publication quality photo CELEBRATING MATHEMATICS -- Southeastern mathematics instructor Lou Schultz,  far right, hands out free rulers to Principal Danette Ragusa and students from Annette LeBell’s fourth grade class at D.C. Reeves Elementary in Ponchatoula. From left, front, are Carrie Stansbury, Kayla Hoover, and Elizabeth Etzkin; back, Ragusa, Kenneth Raiford, Louis Lanier, Jonathan Kinchen and David Ross. SOUTHEASTERN CELEBRATES MATH AWARENESS MONTH WITH ONLINE CONTESTS, FREE RULERS       HAMMOND --  The Southeastern Louisiana University Mathematics Department is celebrating April as Math Awareness Month with on-line problem solving contests for area schools and for university students.       Last year, approximately 3,000 middle, junior high and high school students -- double the number from 2001 -- tackled problems posted daily on the Internet. “We’re hoping for many more this year,” said mathematic professor Kent Neuerburg, who has directed the contest for the past three years.               "The goal of the contest is to encourage students to think about mathematics in a casual and fun way," Neuerburg said. "We want students to realize that mathematics is more than just arithmetic, that it involves critical thinking, visualization and logic."       The online contest will run April 28-May 2. Neuerburg said each day a new problem will be posted on Southeastern’s web-site for grades 5-6, 7-8, and 9-12. “Students will submit their answers via an interactive form right on the web page,” Neuerburg said. “Each correct answer enters the student into a drawing for great prizes.”       Problems will be posted at www.selu.edu/Academics/Faculty/kneuerburg/pod.html.       In addition to the web-based contest for area schools, the Mathematics Department will also host an online contest for Southeastern students. The competition is being directed by mathematics faculty Rebecca Muller, Susan Jenkins and Allie Pearson. All Southeastern students are encouraged to participate, the faculty members said.       Problems will be posted at 7 a.m. each morning on Southeastern’s website. Students can respond online or bring their answers to the Mathematics Department office, Fayard Hall, Room 308. The deadline is 4:30 p.m. each day. Winners will be chosen daily and posted in the mathematics office.         Earlier this month, mathematics instructor Lou Schultz visited area schools to distribute 500 free rulers, compliments of the Mathematics Department, the university and corporate sponsor Manatee Productions. The schools are D.C. Reeves Elementary in  Ponchatoula, Hammond Upper Elementary School, and Springfield Middle School.         Department head Katie Pedersen said the department has been working with Springfield Middle School and Hammond Westside Upper Elementary through a Board of Regents Support Fund grant that funded a hand-on mathematics manipulative teaching lab at each of the schools. The funding also included tutoring for the LEAP 21 tests and professional development opportunities for the schools' mathematics faculty.        Pedersen said the department also collaborated with D.C. Reeves teachers to provide hands-on measurement activities for students, including after-school assistance for students preparing for the LEAP 21. Faculty involved with the D.C. Reeves Project included Pedersen, and Beth Evans and Rebecca Robichaux of the College of Education and Human Development.       For additional information about the campus contest, call the Mathematics Department at 985-549-2175. Neuerburg can be reached for information on the Internet contest at kneuerburg@selu.edu. Return to News Releases