THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 22, 1996 TAG: 9603220575
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MANTEO LENGTH: Medium: 93 lines
There is rhythm in the room, but no music, as the students chatter quietly over math problems that would boggle lesser minds.
Call it Mr. Vrablic's Opus.
A few steps from Frank Vrablic's Manteo High School classroom, a wood-and-glass case rises eight feet from floor to ceiling - chocked full of trophies. On an adjacent wall, 10 plaques bear the names of calculus students whom Vrablic has taught in a decade at this Roanoke Island school. The plaques reflect the class sizes; some bear three names, others six.
This year, Manteo High School ranked third in the North Carolina Mathematics League - out-performing much larger schools in Charlotte and Chapel Hill to prove it has one of the state's top math programs.
Vrablic's students also have performed well on the American High School Mathematics Exam, a series of tests to determine the best mathematics students in the United States.
This year, Vrablic is teaching calculus to 14 students, his largest group yet.
``The kids are really sold on our system,'' said Vrablic, whose instruction can help students earn college credits. ``The thing is, this means money for them. They're able to enter college in advanced placement, and it saves them college costs.''
As many as 90 of Manteo High's students are involved in mathematics competitions - a tribute to the success of the school's program. Hollywood may portray math wizards as pencil-protector-wearing nerds, but this class is filled with scholars, athletes and student government leaders.
``We know we're not geeks,'' said Mike Litwin, a 17-year-old senior from Nags Head. ``We're involved in a lot of different things.''
Tom Blanchard, a senior member of the boys' soccer team, also is part of the math team. Blanchard - and Coach Vrablic - helped the Redskins to a state playoff appearance last fall. Often, he said, Vrablic teaches math in unlikely places.
``We would be on the bus going to road games,'' Blanchard said, ``and Mr. Vrablic would have us up in the front of the bus tutoring us in calculus. When we're racking our brains, he's always willing to help. He just keeps going over it with us again and again and again.''
That constant repetition has paid off. Litwin, Laffite Lamberto-Egan, Jason Davenport and Alex Vaughan all scored 100 on the American High School Mathematics Exam this month. Egan, a 16-year-old sophomore, is the youngest member of the calculus class.
``He comes to class and works on competition problems,'' said Adrienne Lewis, an 18-year-old senior from Kitty Hawk. ``We call him `The Guru.' ''
While the rigors of high math cause butterflies in most people's stomachs, Vrablic maintains an easy atmosphere.
``Mr. Vrablic tries to keep it serious. But we have fun,'' Litwin said. ``There are problems on some of the competition tests that we haven't seen before. This is college-level work. But we've learned how to work smarter.''
Even some of the math team's members, however, confess to some uneasiness about their daunting task of advanced mathematics.
``I have nightmares sometimes that I sit down to take a test and don't know a single problem,'' said Kitty Hawk senior Brandy Lawrentz.
But the nightmares are nowhere to be found in Vrablic's classroom. Even in the relaxed atmosphere, the students get down to cases when it comes time to work.
``I very seldom have to raise my voice,'' Vrablic said. ``These are great kids. They know when to get down to business.''
While the math team doesn't have the rah-rah camaraderie of an athletic team, there is a bond between the members.
``I've really come to know everyone well,'' said Blanchard. ``Most of us are in other advanced-placement classes.''
Litwin had an interesting analogy for the calculus class: ``It's kind of like holding hands with your fellow prisoners as you're walking through the camp,'' he said with a laugh.
But ask math students the key to their team's success, and they answer with pointed fingers - all aimed in Vrablic's direction.
``We do a lot of repetition,'' said Jason Beasley, a 17-year-old senior from Southern Shores. ``We work old tests over and over. Mr. Vrablic works on every little thing so that our skills will be better.''
For the teacher, the secret to his mathematical symphony is as simple as two plus two.
``You just have high expectations,'' Vrablic said. ``And you don't compromise.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by DREW C. WILSON, The Virginian-Pilot
Above, Frank Vrablic teaches Thursday at Manteo High School, where
he has worked for 10 years to build a successful mathematics
program. As many as 90 students are involved in mathematics
competitions. At right, three advanced-mathematics students work
through a problem for a competition - Laffite Lamberto-Egan, left,
Brandy Lawrentz and Jason Hibbets.
by CNB