PAXTON — Ian Lee, son of Tony and Ellen Lee of Paxton, was named the student of the month for January at Paxton-Buckley-Loda High School.

Lee, a senior, is a three-time state math champion; and this month, for the fourth time, he scored a perfect 6 on the Illinois Math League Contest. According to his math teacher, Sheila Pickens, only 19 other PBL students have ever scored a perfect 6, and Lee is the only one to do it four times. 

“Ian Lee strives for excellence. He is naturally talented, but he’s not content to coast and let his natural abilities carry him,” Pickens wrote in her nomination letter. “Ian works diligently to understand the topics we are studying, but he also takes the time to check his work to be sure that his answers are correct, which is something that most students don’t do.”

Pickens believes that Lee’s diligence and rigorous attention to detail have allowed him to earn an A+ in AP/Dual Credit Calculus this year. She said that as a member of the math team, “he strives for perfection by studying math, working problems, and reading through solutions to get other ideas of how to solve problems. He also tries to teach other students strategies to solve problems to elevate the performance of the team as a whole.”

In addition to a full academic load and his dedication to the math team, Lee is also a member of the Scholastic Bowl team and National Honor Society. He also participates in cross country, band, and show choir. 

The student of the month award is administered by the PBL Education Foundation and is funded by Insurance Providers Group of Paxton, Roberts, Rantoul, Savoy and Gibson City. The award was re-designed  this year to focus on a recognition of students at the high school  level who demonstrate the district mission of “excellence through rigor, relevance and relationships.” Teachers nominate students who have made dramatic academic improvement or who have performed an exceptional random act of kindness. Teachers are also free to choose another criterion as long as it demonstrates the school’s mission.

In May, the PBL Education Foundation will announce the student of the year at a cookout for all of the monthly winners and their families.