Shelby Aaberg, a longtime math educator and competition coach, found direction through early mentorship and meaningful teaching experiences. Those influences shaped his student-focused approach and deep commitment to math enrichment. Now mentoring others through MAA programs, he fosters growth, connection, and problem-solving through competitions like the MAA American Mathematics Competitions (AMC).
MAA: Can you share your journey into mathematics?
Aaberg: I grew up in a single-parent home and wanted a career that offered financial stability, so I began college as a chemical engineering major at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. About six weeks into my freshman year, after reflecting on my school experiences, I switched to secondary education with a focus on grades 7–12 mathematics. At the time, I couldn’t quite explain why, but now I can see that I was guided by the influence of great mentors.
Two mathematics teachers had a profound impact on me. After moving from Nebraska to North Carolina following 10th grade, I took precalculus with Mrs. Margaret Wirth, a Milken Award winner, at Junius H. Rose High School. Our class was made up of students from out of state, and she created a true community where everyone’s thinking mattered. I vividly remember applying trigonometry outdoors to estimate the height of the school flagpole.
I returned to Nebraska for my senior year and had Mr. Michael Smith for Calculus I at Gering High School. His storytelling made mathematics come alive, and his genuine interest in his students inspired me deeply. That inspiration led me to take a summer job teaching bilingual lessons in language arts and math to migrant students. My coworker from that program, Luisa Palomo, later became the 2012 Nebraska Teacher of the Year. I was honored with the same award in 2015. Mr. Smith’s emphasis on sense-making, critical thinking, and problem-solving continues to guide my teaching philosophy.
During student teaching, I was fortunate to learn from Mr. Don Olsen at Lincoln High, who pushed me to be reflective and to go the extra mile for students. My first teaching position was at Omaha Westside High School, where John Graff, my mentor, invited me to help with math club. I quickly fell in love with contest mathematics and the opportunities it provides for students. After two years, my wife finished medical school, and we returned home. Since 2006, I’ve taught at Scottsbluff High School.
Over the past two decades, I’ve built a math club at Scottsbluff from the ground up. Our Mu Alpha Theta chapter has placed in the top 15 nationally for three consecutive years, and I’ve led our middle school MATHCOUNTS program since 2018. Today I teach AP Statistics, AP Calculus BC, Geometry, Enrichment Mathematics, and Multivariable Calculus (through a partnership with the University of Nebraska–Omaha). My school day ends with 55 middle schoolers tackling MATHCOUNTS problems in our cafeteria.
My life’s work centers on recreational and contest mathematics. I feel lucky to have a career that feels like a hobby and to watch students grow through the joy and challenge of problem-solving. I can’t imagine doing anything else.
MAA: Tell us about your involvement with MAA.
Aaberg: My connection with MAA began when I received the Edyth May Sliffe Award for high school teaching in 2016 and for middle school in 2022. Since then, I’ve collaborated with Bill Hawkins and Liz Arnold to revise and update the MAA Math Club Handbook, which provides advice, activities, and resources for math club leaders.
I’m also proud to be part of MAA INTEGRATE, an initiative that builds inclusive networks connecting K–12 and higher education. Integrate—Inclusive NeTworks Empowering Growth through Resources, Alliance, Teamwork, and Exploration—focuses on expanding access to high-quality mathematics enrichment. Through this work, I mentor club leaders nationwide. I’ve benefited enormously from mentors throughout my career, and I’m honored to give back to the community that has given me so much.
MAA: How did you get involved in the MAA American Mathematics Competitions program?
Aaberg: I never had the chance to take the AMC as a student—it wasn’t offered at my schools, and I wasn’t even aware of it then. As an undergraduate, I worked as an office assistant in the University of Nebraska–Lincoln mathematics department, where I met Steve Dunbar and first learned about the AMC, which was housed on campus at the time.
I first proctored the AMC in 2004 during my first year of teaching. In 2008, while pursuing a master’s degree in mathematics education, I met Richard Rusczyk at UNL and discovered the Art of Problem Solving community. That experience boosted my own confidence as a problem solver and inspired me to begin offering the AMC 10 and 12 at my school. Since 2013, our district has offered the AMC 8, 10, and 12 every year.
MAA: In your experience, what is the value of the MAA AMC for students and teachers?
Aaberg: Every high school is known for something—whether it’s a sports team, an extracurricular program, or a particular teacher. When I taught at Omaha Westside, the school was famous for its show choir, led by director Doran Johnson. I once heard him say: “Nobody ever sees the target you aim for. All they see is the one you hit.”
To me, that captures the value of the AMC. It gives both students and teachers a target to aim for—a shared challenge that inspires growth in problem solving. Of course, the AMC identifies talent that advances to AIME, USAMO/USAJMO, and even the IMO. But I believe its greatest value lies in the way it motivates students to think deeply, grapple with challenging problems, and aspire to new levels of understanding. Personally, I’ve become a better thinker, problem solver, and mathematician through the MAA AMC series.
MAA: What role do you think contests like the MAA AMC play in shaping the next generation of problem solvers?
Aaberg: As a parent of two children—one in middle school and one in elementary school—I often think about the world they will inherit. We need as many opportunities as possible, like the MAA AMC, to nurture the next generation of problem solvers.
I’ve always loved science fiction in books, movies, and games. Sci-fi often anticipates the future: Jules Verne imagined submarines, Arthur C. Clarke predicted satellite communication, and stories foresaw technologies like mobile phones, video calls, robots, and driverless cars. Today, films like Tron: Ares are exploring questions about artificial intelligence, war, and whether machines can share human experiences like emotion. These are questions my children’s generation may face in reality.
The MAA AMC helps prepare students to tackle such challenges. By encouraging perseverance, creativity, and critical thinking, it helps develop the problem solvers the world needs to ensure a thriving future.
MAA: What advice would you give to others looking to host the MAA AMC?
Aaberg: Some teachers hesitate to host the MAA AMC because they fear being “exposed” if they don’t know how to solve a problem. But that’s exactly the point—it’s an opportunity to learn alongside your students. Model the excitement, curiosity, and persistence that come from grappling with the unknown.
The AMC provides a space where students can pursue their curiosity and find joy in the effort of problem-solving. For first-time hosts, I’d encourage this mindset: your students are waiting for someone to open the door to this experience. Why not you?
Inspired by mentors who shaped his journey, Aaberg now encourages educators to pay it forward. Register your school for the MAA American Mathematics Competitions and help empower the next generation of problem solvers, just as he has.