The following are testimonials about MIST Academy and its staff:
- I have taken a good number of math classes outside the institutional
school setting, and Mr. Crawford is by far the best mathematics teacher
I've ever had. He has a real knack for making difficult concepts within
reach, and his excitement about math is contagious. I recommend his
classes to anyone who wishes to excel in math.
The Mathcounts class I took from Mr Crawford helped me to win a spot on my states' National Mathcounts team the first time I competed in Mathcounts. I also made a perfect 150 on the AMC 10 in 10th grade, and was in the top 10 in the Deep South Region for the AMC 12 in the 11th. And I have qualified for the USAMO in 10th and 11th grade. I have also had great success at ISEF with my 3 year research project which is math-based and for which I have applied for a patent. Although my hard work is what propelled me to these achievements, the enthusiasm which Mr Crawford showed in my first class with him is what really excited me about further studying. He certainly challenged me, which was new, and I enjoyed that challenge.
-- Billy Dorminy
Mr. Dorminy is a Davidson Fellow and is distinguished as one of Bentley's Tomorrow25.
- "MISTAcademy classes have been an awesome experience. It is the best
place in Alabama for students interested in math to learn, and I have
learned so much about numerous mathematical concepts not touched on in
school. It has also helped me better understand the math taught in
school, and to see them in a different perspective. Of course, my
performance on prominent competitions such as the AMC's and the AIME,
in addition to the local math competitions, are much better as a result
of these classes. These classes have also motivated me take more
responsibility of my education. Thanks a bunch, Mr. Crawford, for
making all of this possible!"
Thanks
Xinke Guo-Xue
Mr. Guo-Xue is the only freshman on the Alabama ARML's first team and was the highest scoring freshman in Alabama on the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME).
- "...I still remember the
lessons you taught us. I still remember learning Moore's Law, Power of
a Point, relations between volumes and surface areas of solids, and
much more. And of course, I remember the games.
The games might have been fun, but they always meant more of an opportunity for me. I can never forgive myself for the last day, when I picked a 5-point problem because I couldn't do anything else. Sure, we won, and others thought my plan was great, but I still wish I could erase that events of that day, and relive it again. The guilt of thinking about that last day makes me cringe, but most of all they make me want to compensate. As a result, I am determined to pursue problem solving in mathematics to take on the most challenging problems.
I want to say thank you for the boost you have given me (and probably others) by teaching us. Thank you."
Dai Yang
Mr. Yang was one of Crawford's students at Avid Academy in Orange County, CA. He was one of the top ten students at the 2008 Southern California MATHCOUNTS competition, and placed fifth in the nation on the 2007 National Assessment & Testing Ciphering Time Trials.
- "Thank you so much for Introduction to Number Theory.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this book. It has introduced me to form of
math that I would never have discovered on my own. I have been studying
the book own my own now for three weeks. In those three weeks I have
learned to not only do problems I thought were impossible, but I have
learned to enjoy them. I have to say this is my favorite form of math."
10th grader, Fort Payne High School, Alabama