Sharon Academy MathCounts Team Are Regional Champs

Sharon Academy MathCounts Team Are Regional Champs

On Saturday, Jan. 31, a team of four students from the Sharon Academy Middle School won first place at the Southeastern Regional MathCounts Competition held at Windsor High School.

The winning team, including Abby Dutton of Randolph, Paul Roberts of Hartland, Alexandra Robertson of Pittsfield, and Evan Roe of Brookfield, started practicing for the competition last November, along with the other four students who competed on the individual level—Cotey Anderegg of Sharon, Margaret Gish of Sharon, Samantha Robertson of Pittsfield, and Aenea Thorne of Vershire.

For one day each week, the students meet after school with their teacher and coach Christian Durgin to practice and tune up their math skills. Durgin also gives the students one MathCounts problem in algebra class every day to help prepare the students for the competition.

All their work paid off Saturday, when each student spent the morning completing two individual math tests. The four participants on the team then gathered for a group problem solving session, where their math skills and group work were put to the test.

“These students have worked really hard both in class and after school,” reports Durgin. “They have a lot of experience with the problems, and they work extremely well as a team. I think we’re all thrilled with their success, and the hard work they put into this program definitely paid off.”

MathCounts is a national enrichment, coaching and competition program that promotes middle school mathematics achievement through grassroots involvement in every U.S. state and territory.

At the Southeastern regional competition, seventh and eighth grade students (“Mathletes”) competed, individually and in teams, in written and fast-paced oral matches. The Sharon Academy team, along with the winners from other regional competitions will go to the state competition at Vermont Technical College in Randolph on March 21, where the top four individuals will be selected go on to compete in the National MathCounts Competition May 7-10 in Orlando, Fla.