UNIONTOWN, Pa. -- About 60 middle school students from seven school districts in Fayette and Greene counties participated in the 2012 MATHCOUNTS competition held recently at Penn State Fayette, the Eberly Campus. The competition took place in the Maggie Hardy Magerko auditorium on Tuesday, Feb. 7.
MATHCOUNTS is a national enrichment, club and competition program that promotes middle school mathematics achievement through grassroots involvement in every U.S. state and territory. The annual event challenges students with various mathematical problems and equations.
“We had one of the largest groups of competitors we’ve ever had, and the students worked hard to prepare for this day. The students really seem to enjoy a day where they get to show off their math skills," said Kevin Maxwell, mathematics instructor at Fayette campus.
MATHCOUNTS is comprised of three individual rounds and one team round. The top four students will compete in the state competition in Harrisburg -- Daniel Salai from West Greene Middle School in Waynesburg (4th place); Emma Holt from A.J. McMullen Middle School in Markleysburg (3rd place); Lillian Behm from Margaret Bell Miller Middle School in Waynesburg (2nd place); and Jack Fudala from Margaret Bell Miller Middle School (1st place). Fudala was awarded a $1,000 Penn State Fayette Scholarship.
Also going to Harrisburg will be the students from Margaret Bell Middle School, who won the team competition. The team is comprised of Jack Fudala, Lillian Behm, Cole Rush, Nick Fox, and coaches Rick Layton and Lisa Durbin.