- November 25, 2024
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For Ormond Beach Middle School math teacher Natalie Demchak, the title of "coach" comes with a lot of algebra and geometry.
Demchak has been coaching Mathcounts, a nationwide middle school math competition, for 12 years. The quiz bowl-style competition is something her Mathcounts team practices for every year starting around labor day. There are try-outs, timed tests and of course, lots of math, but when competition day rolls around in February, Demchak's team is ready. So is she.
“I always love the competition day, because then I get to see the other coaches from the other schools and the guys that help out and volunteer through the Florida Engineering Society," Demchak said. "We’ve kind of all become kind of like a family.”
In fall of 2020, Demchak was named the 2020 Florida Mathcounts Coach of the Year by the Florida Engineering Society. she had been nominated by the Daytona Beach chapter, and according to a Volusia County Schools press release, the nomination noted her team's consisted Top 4 finishes at the chapter level competition. It also recognized Demchak for her passion for mentoring students, reflected in their enthusiasm to compete every year. Demchak received a plaque and $750.
That plaque arrived at her house unexpectedly. When she received the box in the mail, she had no idea what it was, nor where it came from. She then noticed the name, recognized it as someone from the state level of Mathcounts, and wondered if the box contained T-shirts.
Demchak opened it, and instead of T-shirts, she found a letter and a plaque congratulating her on the recognition. It was certainly a surprise, as she said she never thought she would ever be considered for such an award.
“I just thought, ‘Me? Really, me?’" Demchak said. "So I’m still kind of in shock.”
Demchak has been teaching since 2003.
She never imagined herself as a teacher growing up, but once she got to high school, people would tell her that she would make a great educator. At the time, Demchak was giving horse riding lessons, and while doing so, realized she was good at explaining concepts to others.
“It was kind of a discovery as I went through," Demchak said. "It was not something that I always knew I was going to do. I kind of feel like I maybe fell into it by chance, but I’m definitely glad I’m here.”
While she was an elementary education major in college, she has never actually taught at the elementary level. It's always been middle school, and she's thankful for this. She loves teaching middle school students.
“[Demchak] is a warm, accessible, enthusiastic, and caring Mathcounts coach,” said OBMS Math Chair Kristen Pirkey, co-coach for the school’s Mathcounts team, in the district's press release. “She always engages the students in learning in a fun way while encouraging healthy competition. Students feel safe to take risks because she makes her classroom a safe learning environment. I am continuously impressed with the amount of time and energy she puts into making sure all students at Ormond Beach Middle School are successful."
Mathcounts looks a little different this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The competitions are now online, and Demchak and her team of students have had to learn how to navigate this new platform. Less kids also tried out, a result of the lower in-person student enrollment, Demchak said.
Still, the competitive spirit lives on.
“Whether or not those kids are in the same math class or not, I think they almost look for each other to try to compete even outside of the Mathcounts," Demchak said. "So I think they’ve built some friendships maybe they wouldn’t have had without it.”
And inside the classroom, Demchak likes to see the 'aha' moments in her students, particularly from the ones who are already good at math and have that perception that there's no way Demchak can show them something new.
"They come in like ‘Oh I’ve already seen that. I already know how to do that. Oh that’s really easy,’" Demchak said. "But when we get to things that are hard and they get it and they’re somewhat impressed by it — I just really love those moments.”
