MACON, Ga. — Once a year, math teams from dozens of high schools in Georgia compete for scholarships and bragging rights.
Alexis Gunerman is a senior at Houston County High School, and she says it takes courage.
"You just gotta go for it, even if you're probably wrong, even if it sounds ridiculous."
Gunerman says her love for math began in middle school after she almost failed in sixth grade.
"Math can be found anywhere in the real world. Architects and construction people, they use math to figure out how much material they're going to use so they don't waste materials."
Gunerman will be majoring in mathematics at the University of Georgia in the fall. Her dream is to be in the Air Force.
Her coach and math teacher Terri Hammerle says she makes sure her team practices critical thinking by reviewing old tests.
"They see the importance in math and not just being able to use a calculator or Googling something, but use their brain and reason through something," she says.
Hammerle encourages students to not give up on math, and find an easy method of learning, whether it's through a teacher or a program.
"You might find that person that really makes it make sense and once it makes sense, you don't go back."
Hammerle says her team has competed in this annual competition since she began coaching nine years ago, and they will continue to compete for years to come.