By By Kelly Quackenbush/The Meridian Star
April 21, 2001
The Mississippi Math Counts team will be heading to Washington May 11 for a national competition.
Math Counts is a 18-year-old nationwide program for seventh- and eighth-graders. In this state, it is sponsored by the Mississippi Engineering Society.
The team is made up of four students who qualified March 24 at the state competition.
The state team includes: Scott Strickland, a home school student from Wayne County; Justin Faulkner of Clinton Junior High School, Clinton; Andy Schmegel of St. Andrews, Jackson; and Courtney Holliday of Tupelo Middle School.
The team will be competing against more than 50 other teams from all of the states. The mathematics event consists of one test with 30 questions that has to be answered without a calculator in 40 minutes, eight problems to solve with a calculator and an oral buzz round. The team competes individually and the team average determines the winner.
Wayne Richey of Clinton Junior High School is the coach this year and has coached four teams in the past. "I am very proud of the kids. It is very time-consuming and they have worked extremely hard to get here," Richey said.
The students will fly to Washington May 10, and compete on May 11. The next day will be devoted to a tour of the nation's capital. The team will return home May 13.
Kelly Quackenbush is a staff writer for The Meridian Star. Call her at 693-1551, ext. 3228, or e-mail her at kquackenbush@themeridianstar.com.