Aidan Hintermaier, a “regular kid” with remarkable math aptitude, is not only a junior at Mount de Sales, but also a student completing advanced math courses at Georgia Tech through the state’s Move On When Ready (MOWR) dual-enrollment program as a distance-learning student.
Aidan entered Mount de Sales in the sixth grade, and by his freshman year, he completed the highest level math course—Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus BC. He scored a 5 on the AP test, the highest possible score.
“A program like the one offered by Georgia Tech allows a student like Aidan, who is ahead of the curve, to take an advanced course,” said Aidan’s AP teacher, Jeff Dobias. “Aidan does seem to have a natural gift in mathematics.”
Aidan’s math ability was evident as a toddler when, at the age of two, “he took all of the bottles and containers in our apartment and lined them up from smallest to largest,” said Dr. John Hintermaier, Aidan’s father and social studies instructor at the Academy. When he started Alexander II Magnet School, it became clear that Aidan had a gift. From second grade onward, he took courses above his grade level so he could be challenged.
Currently, Aidan is completing linear algebra and will take multivariable calculus next spring. His senior year distance-learning courses will be applied combinatorics in fall 2017 and number theory and cryptography in spring 2018.
Aidan’s course load is challenging at Mount de Sales, but administration and teachers have been flexible in allowing him to pursue his studies through Georgia Tech during the school day. While on-campus students at Tech are attending lectures, Aidan is able to watch them online in real time. Additionally, he connects with fellow distance learners and his instructor to complete assignments and share work through a web-based program called Adobe Connect.
According to Dr. Hintermaier, “We picked MDS because it was the only school in town that was willing and able to provide Aidan the advanced math opportunities that he needed. Aidan has been tremendously well-supported by the faculty. We could not be happier with the way MDS has provided Aidan with the opportunity to develop his talents.”
Aidan is the only Middle Georgia high school student enrolled in the distance-learning math program at Tech. He recognizes the opportunities it will afford him and the advantages of being a high school student completing higher-level mathematics at a respected institution such as Georgia Tech. “It’s good that there is a program out there that gives students extra experience in college-level material.” He added, “It’s nice to have peers at the same level in math.”
While Aidan may be gifted in math, he also is a regular teenager and well-rounded student. He plays the baritone saxophone in band, and captains the MDS quiz bowl team, which qualified for the National Academic Quiz Tournaments championship last year in Dallas. He also plays varsity lacrosse and has lettered the past two years.
Aidan comes from a family of engineers and math wizards. On his father’s side, his great-uncle, grandfather, and great-grandfather were all engineers. Aidan’s mother, Heidi, is strong in math, and her father worked both as a math teacher and in industry. Aidan plans to pursue a degree in civil or chemical engineering. “Georgia Tech is on my list, but I also will apply to out-of-state schools like the University of Michigan,” he said. Wherever Aidan chooses to matriculate, he will undoubtedly find success.