BIDDEFORD — Thirty-four students from Biddeford Middle School showcased their skills this season with six first-place team wins in the Southern Maine Math League math competitions this school year. Each team from grades five, six, and seven enjoyed unrivaled success.

The teams took a proactive approach and committed to practicing twice a week with their coaches — adding additional homework to get ready to compete. “The students work very hard. They collaborate and have healthy competition,” coach Suzanne Tighe, Gifted and Talented Teacher at BMS, reported. “They know that one or two can’t carry the team.”

The students emphasized increasing their team scores, and their results reflected their hard work. Coach Jessica Larson, Gifted and Talented teacher at BMS, reported, “They have a ‘we’re in it together attitude.’ They support each other and are genuinely excited when someone new to the team meets with success.”

Tighe and Larson attribute much of the team’s success to the development of solid foundational math skills at the younger grade levels. “This allows the students to be ready for the next step when they reach middle school; they are coming to us very prepared,” said Coach Tighe.