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Mathletes Excel in Competition

On February 6, the Middle School sent ten mathletes (eighth graders Luke L., Justin N., Austin N., Charlie L. and Kaleb A. and seventh graders Noah S., Akash P., Natalie S., Colin B., and Avinash T.) to participate in the Baltimore/Chesapeake Chapter Mathcounts competition at McDonogh School. Noah, Luke, Austin, and Justin competed together and placed seventh out of 38 teams, which qualifies them for the state competition on March 12. Luke and Noah were also successful in the individual portion and will advance to the next level.

Mathcounts is a national enrichment program that promotes mathematics achievement and offers competition that is as exciting as any school sport. The program is open to sixth, seventh, and eighth graders.

Since the beginning of the school year, McDonogh's mathletes have been meeting with Middle School math teachers and Mathcounts coaches Matt Newton and Willie Little once a week during activities. They teach them creative strategies for quickly solving higher-level, non- traditional problems that they will need to answer in competition.

In January, after months of practice and instruction, the participants took a test supplied by Mathcounts. The students with the top scores represented McDonogh at the competition on February 6.

Mathcounts allows four students to participate on an official team and six others to participate as individuals. All of the contestants scored very well at the Chesapeake Chapter competition.

The mathletes who did not qualify for the competition are encouraged to continue attending weekly Mathcounts sessions for the remainder of the year to work on skills. The benefits of the program are far-reaching. A recent study showed that students who participate in Mathcounts score higher on SATs.