Annual MATHCOUNTS competition on campus Feb. 4

Students from 16 area schools will meet at Penn State Harrisburg’s Capital Union Building for the 28th annual MATHCOUNTS competition, Saturday, Feb. 4 from 9:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

A nationwide program that each year challenges more than 500,000 sixth, seventh, and eight-grade students, MATHCOUNTS builds mathematics skills, promotes strategic problem solving, and instructs students in dealing with complex problems. The regional event is administered by the Harrisburg Chapter of the Society of Professional Engineers, and spurs interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-related careers.

Schools nationwide begin coaching for the event in the fall, covering basic and advanced arithmetic skills. The regional event on campus includes a Sprint Round, Target Round, Team Round, and Countdown Round, where the top 10 individual mathematicians compete. The Countdown Round and the concluding Award Ceremony are open to the public.

The top four individuals and the top school team from the regional advance to the state event held March 23 and 24 at the Sheraton Harrisburg-Hershey. The top four individual winners from the state advance to the National Raytheon MATHCOUNTS Competition, May 11 in Orlando, Fla.

Schools competing at Penn State Harrisburg this year include Central Dauphin Middle School; Crossroads Middle School; Good Hope Middle School; Harrisburg Academy; Hershey Middle School; Lamberton Middle School; Lower Dauphin Middle School; Mechanicsburg Middle School; Middletown Area Middle School; Northern Middle School; Saint Joseph School; Saint Patrick School; Saint Theresa; Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary; Susquehanna Township Middle School; and Tuscarora Junior High School.