Annual MATHCOUNTS competition held on campus

Students from 18 area schools met at Penn State Harrisburg’s Capital Union Building for the region's annual MATHCOUNTS competition Saturday, Feb. 9, 2013 from 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

A nationwide program that each year challenges more than 500,000 sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students, MATHCOUNTS builds mathematical 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 event on campus includes a Sprint Round, Target Round, Team Round, and Countdown Round, during which the top 10 individual mathletes compete. The Countdown Round and the concluding Award Ceremony were open to the public.

The winning team and top four individuals from each participating region travel to compete at the state level. The top four students from the state will advance to compete at the 30th National Raytheon MATHCOUNTS Competition, May 10 in Washington, D.C.

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