Pi Day is celebrated every year on March 14. It is often observed in math classes across the country. For the avid enthusiasts of the quirky holiday, there is even a website, dedicated to all things Pi Day where you can learn about Pi, purchase Pi tee-shirts, mugs and clocks, and even send Pi Day e-cards. This past March 14, however, one Mansfield High School math whiz was celebrating an exciting milestone in his own life.
It seems fitting that senior Zach Banks received his acceptance letter from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on that day.
Banks has always been interested in math. On his first day of kindergarten, he asked if they would be learning algebra. Now, that young boy who could not wait to learn math is on his way to becoming an electrical engineer.
Banks officially joined the Math Team freshman year of high school, though he was involved in middle school as well. With his superior intellect, he has added in the team’s great success.
“As a team, we’ve done really well over the last few years,” Banks said. “We’ve always done really well locally. We usually win at all our local meets and we place usually second or third at regional’s.”
The team was very successful this year. They are a part of two leagues, both of which they placed first in. They also placed second in the playoffs and made it to states.
Banks believes the skills he has acquired from the math team have helped prepare him for MIT.
“The team is a great way to do things outside of the classroom that are more advanced and challenging,” he said. “It’s a great way for people to practice and demonstrate a deep understanding of what they’re learning.”
Banks has also been a member of the Robotics team all four years of high school. The students involved have six weeks to work together to build a robot from scratch which then competes in a game against other schools internationally. Last year they had to build a robot that could play a game similar to soccer.
The young engineer also sees Robotics as a means of benefiting his future.
“It’s a great way for developing engineering expertise and just an experience that isn’t normally shown in the classroom,” he said.
This bright young man is not after the top grades, though he is around fifteenth in his class of about 370 students. He seeks knowledge beyond what is taught in the classroom. Learning is his top priority and he wants the same for others.
“He’s always been a great student,” said his father, Jim Banks. “He’s never been about grades. I can honestly say I think he’s competitive with himself and he wants to do very well but the feedback I’ve had from teachers is that he’ll go out of his way to help kids.”
Banks tutors students who are having trouble with the curriculum. Though he wants to do well and learn as much as he can, he sees that it is important to use his knowledge to help others.
Banks and his father spent a long weekend at MIT as a part of a campus preview program where the students and parents were separated almost immediately. What Jim Banks saw in the seminars he attended were the parents of students who have been in high gear trying to be the best of the best.
“They’ve been so focused on grades and doing all these things to get into MIT that I don’t think they have another gear,” he said.
He does not see his son in that same light. Zach’s thirst for knowledge has not been a race to be the best and he is not maxed out as some of his future classmates may be.
“With Zach, I’m confident that there’s another couple gears,” said is father. “He’s ready to go to the next level.”