Event to honor MATHCOUNTS winners

Staff report

youngstown

Several team and individual winners of the 2011 MATHCOUNTS Competition that took place earlier this month at Youngstown State University will be honored at an awards banquet Tuesday at A La Cart Catering in Canfield.

The guest speaker will be David DeChristofaro, Trumbull County engineer.

MATHCOUNTS is a nationwide math competition for sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students sponsored by the National Society of Professional Engineers. It is designed to address the problem of declining math skills among U.S. students.

Sponsors of the program focus on sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders who are at the crucial stage in developing and sustaining interest and ability in mathematics.

The local competition for schools in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties is sponsored by the Mahoning Valley Society of Professional Engineers and YSU’s William Rayen School of Engineering & Engineering Technology. This year, major funding was provided by the Davis Foundation and Dominion East Ohio.

Willowcreek Learning Center’s team of Ryan Moore, James Haddad, Lairen Ritz and Cooper Johnson, under the coaching of Mary Ann Landers, earned the top spot.

Joseph Badger Middle School, coached by Rachel Himes and consisting of team members Katherine Grescovich, Bryson Stemock, Christian McKnight and Travis Hecker, took second.

Holy Family School team members Andrew Brockway, Micaela Kreuzwieser, Cara Palusak and Francesca Strollo earned third place. Their coach is Jean Wargo.

The top three teams advance to the state contest March 12 in Columbus.

The top six students who aren’t on one of the top three teams also will advance to the state competition.

Those students are: Tristan Myers of Boardman Glenwood Middle School; Chris Kasler of Boardman Center Middle School; Daniel Daum of Howland Middle School; Bobby Murcko of Poland Middle School; and Jessica Fox and Luke Carrabia, both of Boardman Glenwood Middle School.

The top six individual winners are: James Haddad of Willow Creek Learning Center; Myers; Kasler; Daum; Murcko; and Katherine Grescovic of Joseph Badger.

East Palestine Middle School was the most-improved school and L.E.A.D. Academy was the best new school.

Countdown Round winners of $50 U.S. savings bond from Arby’s Restaurant at YSU are: Haddad; Murcko; Kenny Dungan of Howland Middle School; and Myers.

The Joseph Badger Middle School team earned Math Bowl Champion honors.

The winners of the state competition will advance to the national MATHCOUNTS finals May 5-8 in Washington, D.C.