While most high school students race to the parking lot after the dismissal bell sounds, he races to a hub of a different kind, UIL mathematics coach Cliff McCurdy’s room.

Every day, senior Justin Clark invests his mind deep into the worlds of number sense, computer science, calculator applications and mathematics, the four UIL events which he has competed in since his sophomore year, resulting in over 60 awards and his recent $1,100 Top Gun scholarship at the TMSCA state competition.

“I’ve enjoyed math and science for quite a long time, so I guess finally being able to get into the UIL thing with competitions was really enjoyable,” Clark said. “Just doing the math and finding the new things about it is what’s most fun.”

Clark attributes his success and multiple state titles to the one who has taught him most, Mr. McCurdy.

“He has allowed me to stay after school for many years now,” Clark said. “I started in my sophomore year, and every single day that I stayed after school I could ask him as many questions as I wanted.”

As Clark has grown in his mathematical abilities, McCurdy observes the strengths his student has gained.

“When he was a freshmen I had to show him a whole lot of stuff,” McCurdy said. “Now that he’s a senior, maybe once a month I have to show him something he doesn’t know. It’s pretty rare. He won’t ask until he’s absolutely tried and tried and tried and he just can’t get it. That’s probably his strongest point: he wants to figure everything out himself. ”

Placing first or second in nearly event in which he competes, Clark passes his knowledge on to his peers.

“We’ve been staying after school since the second half of my sophomore year,” junior Nicholas Mohar said. “He’s taught me almost everything I know in number sense and math. He knows a lot of the math that I don’t. It’s really impressive. He genuinely knows the answer when I ask him a question.”

Although Clark is unsure of his future career choice, he says he wants continue in something computer science or physics related.

“I see him majoring in math, taking a bunch of computer courses, and doing something really good with his computer and math knowledge,” McCurdy said.