Minneapolis Southwest High students Christina Nelson, 17, and Kirsten Wiard-Bauer, 14, don't make a big deal about being teenage girls who are into math. ¶ "I've always liked math," Nelson said. "I'm not brilliant, but if I try and work hard I can do well."¶ The girls sit next to each other in their advanced calculus class. It has a fairly even mix of girls and boys, but Wiard-Bauer is one of the few freshmen in the course.¶ After several years of declining involvement by Minneapolis schools in the state math league, Southwest High is among a handful of urban public schools ranked among the top 20 out of 175 teams participating in the state tournament that kicks off today. St. Paul Central and Highland Park high schools are also ranked in the top 20.

"We have some suburban schools who are always lurking around the top," said Wayne Roberts, a Macalester College professor who founded the state math league in 1980. "It's like with sports: Schools get a tradition, and they build on it."

Southwest High had that tradition in math and was one of the four original teams in the league, Roberts said. But as Minneapolis schools fell on hard times and cut positions for math coordinators, participation waned.

Sensing the inequity of a league that lacked sufficient representation from urban public schools, Roberts teamed with teachers from Minneapolis and St. Paul schools to launch a summer math institute seven years ago. Several Southwest High teachers participated.

"That was the beginning [of the resurgence]," Roberts said. "I think that's had an effect in building the enthusiasm [among teachers] for getting kids working on math outside of class."

Southwest High math teacher David McMayer coaches the team and said almost 100 students participated in one or more of the five math league meets this year. The questions, some of which are written by Roberts, cover algebra, geometry, trigonometry and advanced algebra, and include concepts that teachers may not be able to cover during the regular year, McMayer said.

Still, the league has always maintained that focusing on students with unusual math ability is shortsighted and doesn't strengthen math education for all Minnesota students.

"I think the biggest thing is to draw as many students as possible," McMayer said. "My goal is to get kids to learn math and bring what they've learned back to class to help other students."

Other metro-area high schools ranked in the top 20 teams statewide include Centennial, Eden Prairie, Eagan, East View, Delano, Maple Grove, Mounds View, Roseville, St. Louis Park and Wayzata.

Patrice Relerford • 612-673-4395