MATHCOUNTS Foundation

I used to be a MATHCOUNTS participant in the 2000s and now as an adult I volunteer with the creation of challenge questions every year - it is such an amazing and professional program!

What a fabulous organization that is changing the lives of young people everyday. Encouraging kids to engage with math is so important to all of our futures and all the STEM careers out there that are under served today. MATHCOUNTS does a fantastic job pushing and promoting math greatness.

I’m grateful to be a board member for the MATHCOUNTS Foundation because it played a big part in my formative years in middle school. Participating in it to represent by school, county and state at the multiple levels of the competition was a source of pride growing up. Through my participation I bore the fruits of hard work, dedication, and discipline that can only come from doing extremely hard things with really good people. I would recommend participating and contributing to this organization to anyone who has the opportunity to.

In early 2015, I received an email introducing me to MATHCOUNTS. The email described MATHCOUNTS as an organization doing "wonderful" work with middle schoolers by making math a fun experience. A year later, I witnessed not only the joy that MATHCOUNTS brought to those involved but also its transformative effect firsthand. My son got involved and found his tribe and passion for math.

I have been a MathCounts coach at my school for many years. I enjoy how the program reaches students of all math ability levels. There's the competitive competition program which crowns regional, state, and national champions, but there's also the math club program. The math club program introduces students to different math topics through games and other activities without students worrying about being tested on the topics. They get to work and socialize with peers in a non-competitive environment. While I did not get to participate in MathCounts when I was a kid, I did have a nephew who participated in MathCounts years ago and was on the New Hampshire team at the national level.

I was a Mathlete forty years ago (!!!), taking me on my first trip ever to Washington, D.C. Now I go there regularly, to share math-based insights on effective lawmaking with congressional staff and good governance partners.

I'm delighted to also have the opportunity to give back to MATHCOUNTS as a Reviewer and Proofreader for the problems each year. Doing so reminds me of the great content they put together and gives me happy flashbacks to my middle school days.

As a member of the National Society of Professional Engineering (NSPE), I was recruited to help score the local MATHCOUNTS competition (more than30 years ago). After a number of years, I assumed the responsibility for running the scorer's room for the local MATHCOUNTS competition. I also became the emcee for the local Countdown Round. I still perform these local volunteer MATHCOUNTS competition activities. I increased my involvement by volunteering to score at the state (Virginia) MATHCOUNTS competition, and again, assumed responsibility for running the scorer's room for the state. I also scored at the national level for two national MATHCOUNTS competitions. I had to give up my volunteer activities for two years when I assumed the role of a MATHCOUNTS coach, when no mathematics teacher was available to do it, so that my older son could participate in MATHCOUNTS. Also, for the past 20 years (or so), I have volunteered as a proofreader for problems in the MATHCOUNTS Workbook and MATHCOUNTS competitions (local, state, and national). I continue these efforts because MATHCOUNTS is such an important opportunity for middle school students exercise (and show off) their mathematical acumen and to spark their interest in future endeavors and careers. I am still amazed at the skill level of mathletes in the Countdown Round, particularly at the state and national levels. I plan to continue this volunteer activities for as long as I can.

A few years ago, I volunteered at a MATHCOUNTS event in Dubuque, Iowa. It was so much fun to watch these middle school kids get excited about math and participate in an academic challenge. Now I volunteer every year. The excitement of the competition motivated me to volunteer in other ways, too. MATHCOUNTS is awesome!

I'm involved with MATHCOUNTS in the role of helping to produce the annual handbook of mathematics problems for the contestants to practice with. As a mathematician, I check the accuracy of the problems and solutions and help edit the material to make it clear and exciting. MATHCOUNTS is a great organization helping to generate interest among middle school students in this all important area of their education.

I have been involved with MATHCOUNTS for about 35 years as a parent of competing students, as a coach, as a volunteer at Chapter, State, and National Competitions, and as a reviewer of training and competition materials--usually 250+ hours per year. I have had at least a dozen students state unprompted and with enthusiasm: "I hate math, but I love MATHCOUNTS!" Many of my own children have excelled in their careers in part due to thinking and problem-solving skills that MATHCOUNTS has instilled. I have personally seen MATHCOUNTS endeavoring to keep improving and not resting on laurels--adding, deleting, and adapting programs to address cultural and technology changes as well as overcoming surprises like a pandemic. I have personally seen students' lives impacted positively. I believe in the benefits of MATHCOUNTS so much that I am eager to continue my volunteering in my retirement even more than I did while employed and have MATHCOUNTS as part of my estate planning.

MATHCOUNTS has been a consistently welcoming and highly effective organization with which I’ve been involved for over 15 years. As a middle school student, I was excited and challenged by their provided materials which helped me see the many ways that math applies to the world around me. As an alumni, I always felt that MATHCOUNTS continued to care about my success. As a proofreader and volunteer, I now get the privilege of seeing how much work goes into creating this wonderful program for the students. I have never once felt that MATHCOUNTS has diverged from its original values of helping kids to love math in supportive and fun environments. Their consistency is outstanding and should be lauded.

My experience with MATHCOUNTS started when I was in 8th grade and I was selected to practice with our school's team. After graduating with my civil engineering degree, I joined the National Society of Professional and had the opportunity to volunteer as a grader, then a chapter coordinator, and then on the state committee. I am now on the MATHCOUNTS Foundation Board of Directors and am so proud of the work this organization does to promote STEM and advanced mathematics. The future workforce of engineers is critically important to our country's vitality and MATHCOUNTS is working hard every day to help in this mission. The staff is well respected and incredibly professional in all they do. Our volunteer coordinators are amazing and so dedicated!

I have been a fan and supporter of MATHCOUNTS for as long as I remember: First as a competitor myself, then as a parent of a competitor, and now as a Board Member. MATHCOUNTS does an outstanding job providing students of all ability levels with the chance to deepen their understanding of critical math skills. The MATHCOUNTS leadership team, led by its Executive Director, provides a top-notch experience for MATHCOUNTS competitors, culminating in an exciting national competition that creates camaraderie and builds friendships for all involved. I have been involved with numerous for-profit and not-for-profit/non-profit organizations over my career, and MATHCOUNTS, by far, is run the most efficiently and maximizes every single dollar in its budget. Great organization, great mission, great outcomes!

MATHCOUNTS has made a transformative impact in the life of my son who has developed a profound passion for math, in large part, through his participation in the MATHCOUNTS competitions. Alex aged out of the MATHCOUNTS program two years ago, but considers it one of the highlights of his middle school career, and he continues to draw on the skills and passion he formed then.

Through both teamwork and individual challenges, Alex developed critical problem-solving skills that extend beyond math. He also found in MATHCOUNTS a community of like-minded peers and has learned the value of collaboration and celebrating others' successes. As he found success after success in tackling complex math problems, his confidence in his math abilities soared. He remains connected to the MATHCOUNTS community by serving as an ambassador and sharing his love for math with others.

Thank you, MATHCOUNTS, for helping to mold my son into the budding mathematician he is today.

My very first experience with MATHCOUNTS (competition series) was in my middle school math class (7th and 8th grade) in Illinois. I participated both in 7th and 8th grade and advanced to the State competition. This experience (Chapter and State Competition) partnered with our middle school math teacher/coach introducing us to a Professional Engineer, was a major reason why I decided to pursue a degree/career in math. Upon finishing my degree in civil engineering, I moved to Texas, where I am a licensed Professional Engineer. It was several years after I had been in Texas that a friend invited me to volunteer with TSPE Greater Houston at a MATHCOUNTS competition. I couldn't say yes quick enough. I started volunteering in the grading room in 2013 and joined NSPE-TX in 2016, at which time I became the coordinator for the Greater Houston Chapter. This year I'm currently serving as the State Chair for MATHCOUNTS in Texas and I still volunteer at the chapter level. I think the best thing about this program is that it is designed for every student to continue developing their math and problem-solving skills no matter their current level.

My initial experience with MATHCOUNTS was my son's participation in the MATHCOUNTS program. I saw firsthand the incredible impact the program had on him and other students. Now that I serve on the MATHCOUNTS Board I see not only how well MATHCOUNTS advances the academic, social, and emotional growth of middle school boys and girls, but how responsible, dedicated and effective its Staff and team are. MATHCOUNTS is a wonderfully run organization that is constantly evolving to make a real difference in students' lives by building confidence and inspiring a lifetime of learning and math-based problem solving.

MATHCOUNTS has been a fantastic catalyst for many of Guam's local students to excel in math and STEM programs. We are now seeing the fruits of our labor, with many former Mathletes now returning to Guam as engineers, scientists, business leaders, professors, etc.

As the Guam State MATHCOUNTS Coordinator for almost 30 years, I have seen firsthand how many middle school mathletes who really enjoyed competing in mathematics, encouraging them to seek higher levels of math in high school, then going on to college to major in engineering, business, or other high-performing careers. Guam has seen an increase in the number of former mathletes entering top engineering or other STEM or math-related college programs. Their exposure to MATHCOUNTS at the middle school level sparked their interest in these STEM careers. Several former mathletes are now engineers, scientists, lawyers, biologists, etc. on our small island. Many of these mathletes have also returned to Guam to become coaches, graders, or other volunteers for our MATHCOUNTS competition program on island. We are also pleased to experience a return of many mathletes back to the island, thus erasing the "brain drain" that we experienced more than 20 years ago. We have a growing population of "math-smart" locals, thanks to the MATHCOUNTS program.

Although our Guam team is typically ranked at the bottom 10% at the National Competition, this does not deter our students - they see how fast and competitive the rest of the nation's mathletes are, and they want to work up to the same level.

As a Coordinator for Northeastern SD, I have seen MATHCOUNTS proven to be a wonderful program for middle school students in the Aberdeen, SD area. The competition series provides math students with the ability to test their skills against others and are awarded for success. The award may come in the form of a trophy or shirts but more rewarding is the problem-solving skills developed and implemented throughout the rest of their school career and beyond. The foundation provides all the tests, trophies, and support to make this happen.

I have been vastly impressed and pleased with my exposure to the MATHCOUNTS Foundation this last year. After decades of helping locally with this nationwide middle-school mathematics "coaching and competition" program it was heartening for me to lead Alaska's state program for 2022/23 and receive consistent, cheerful help and advice from the folks at MathCounts headquarters in Virginia. Timely alerts as program deadlines came along, and prompt, on-target e-mail responses when I was occasionally uncertain of what to do to lead/inform Alaska's team coaches and chapter coordinators. I am positive that MATHCOUNTS is incredibly important across the country as a very special and enjoyable "doorway" to encouraging 6th, 7th and 8th grade students to improve their math skills, particularly because they get to exercise those skills along with other mathletes who are learning and excelling right along with them. This chance for detailed exposure to "pure" and very useful math concepts is a godsend to those young minds.
Hurray for this program, but also for the very helpful and individually supportive efforts by the Foundation's staff. They made my year of delivering this opportunity to Alaska's schools much easier than it would have been on my own!

I love MATHCOUNTS and the good it brings the world. I've been involved at the chapter and state levels for over 18 years, and every year, it is incredible to see the difference this program makes for students. Yes, their math skills grow, but beyond that, their confidence grows, they get to meet other kids who like math too, maybe if they were a bit shy about math but still joined the math club - they aren't so shy anymore about math. There are so many wonderful ROIs with this program, AND it also is doable for the adult to implement a club or math team which is a huge bonus to making it possible.

My MATHCOUNTS story goes back to 1989, when I first became a competitor in 7th grade at Wagar Middle School in Carleton, Michigan. I had the honor of attending the State competition in 1990, which was held at Michigan State University, in a lecture hall where I would attend classes five years later. After seeing the impact the program had on me, my father, a math teacher at a neighboring junior high, started his own team, which he coached until his retirement 12 years later. Upon graduating from MSU in 1998, I immediately joined the Michigan Society of Professional Engineers (MSPE), largely to be a part of the MATHCOUNTS program since it was organized at the local and state level by MSPE. I have been the Southeastern Michigan Chapter Coordinator since 2000, have emceed the state competition for at least 15 years, and offer to help with any other Chapters that I can every year. It is such a huge part of who I am, and am fortunate that both of my own children also had the chance to participate in the program for the very same school that I attended and in the district (Airport Community Schools) where I now serve on the Board of Education. My involvement with the MATHCOUNTS program, did, in fact, inspired me to join this board to further support all students in my home community, so my involvement with MATHCOUNTS continues to influence me to this day to support others within the educational field. Having this opportunity to give back to my community, and support and promote future engineers (and other STEM fields as well) is as meaningful to me as an adult as the program was to me as a competitor, probably even more so. The mission of MATHCOUNTS is indeed a very noble one, and by supporting and promoting these students that want to push themselves, we in turn push society forward in a big way for the benefit of all through new innovations and discoveries. Many of our MATHCOUNTS alumni have certainly contributed mightily to the progress of society over its four decades of existence.

The National office staff is and has been outstanding throughout my 23 years volunteering with MATHCOUNTS. They support the volunteer coordinators at every turn, and we truly feel valued by them always through both their words and their actions. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the National staff did their best to navigate us through by (reluctantly) shifting to a virtual platform for 2021, and was firmly committed to keeping the program healthy and worthwhile even as many similar programs were fighting for their very existence. The extreme effort expended by the National staff to give us all any program at all in 2021 and 2022 did not go unnoticed, and I am positive has resulted in thousands of students' lives being changed significantly for the better in what was a very difficult time. When we were finally able to gather again in person for both the 2022 Chapter and State competitions, the excitement in the room from the students and the number of tears shed by both coaches and this coordinator showed just how meaningful the MATHCOUNTS program is to students, teachers, coaches, and coordinators. My life has been made significantly more meaningful due to my involvement with MATHCOUNTS, and I know thousands of others would feel the same.

Patrick M. Lewis, P.E., South Rockwood, Michigan

MATHCOUNTS makes MATH fun. The preparation for the competition is akin to any traditional sports preparation: practice, practice, and more practice. MathAthletes compete, and in the end, the community wins. I witnessed the rock star treatment of top competitors by their student peers. Competition and rewards that are enduring! MATHCOUNTS is that and more!

MATHCOUNTS is the BEST program involving STEM for 6th, 7th and 8th graders in which I have been involved as a volunteer.

The work of the MATHCOUNTS Foundation in making all of this happen every year is more than commendable.

I was the Publicity Chairperson for the first MATHCOUNTS that the Valley Forge Chapter of the PA Society of Professional Engineers organized in 1986. I was active in MATHCOUNTS in PA from then until 2020. For many years, I was the Countdown Round Moderator at the PA State Competition.

As national president of NSPE in 2015, it was a huge thrill to be a part of the national MATHCOUNTS competition and to witness the best of the best compete.

No matter what role I had in any of the competitions, the time that I spent as a volunteer was uplifting and energizing.

As a long time volunteer and now coordinator of a local chapter, I've seen MATHCOUNTS adapt through many changes seamlessly. The people at the national level are excellent to communicate with and keep the competition and all the coordinators so well organized.
I've watched participants work their way through 3 or 4 years of competitions, and it's so much fun to see them grow in their math knowledge. We've even had past competitors return as coaches.
I think MATHCOUNTS provides such valuable lessons for the kids these days.

I've been involved with MATHCOUNTS for almost 30 years in multiple roles in two different states. I've served as a state and chapter coordinator organizing competitions and as a school team coach preparing the mathletes for the competitions. It's been a really fun and rewarding experience working in the program from both sides. The constants I've seen are the enthusiasm and the talent of the kids participating. By adding some fun and competitiveness into the mix, MATHCOUNTS gets kids to want to come in before or after school to work on math. That's quite an accomplishment. The program's management team is very organized, supportive and capable, and the number of dedicated volunteers across the country who make it work are amazing. This is a program worth supporting!

MATHCOUNTS has had a huge impact on me as both a student and as an educator. My first encounter with MATHCOUNTS was in 1991, when I represented my school, Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School, at a chapter competition. Ever since 2017, I have volunteered as a chapter coordinator. Each year, we host a chapter competition for over 100 of the brightest young mathematicians in middle grades across northeast GA. My school district has boasted a 4-year streak of sending at least one student to the national competition, an accomplishment I am extremely proud of.

MATHCOUNTS is beneficial for all students, not just those who participate in the competition series, but also those who use their National Math Club materials and participate in the annual Video Challenge. I am very grateful to this organization and the support and joy they provide for middle schoolers with an interest in STEM.

Being an engineer and working with engineers for the past 25 years, mathematics can be such a beautiful but simultaneously intimidating field. Once you peel a couple layers back, it unlocks limitless potential. But that always seems to be the problem - getting past those initial layers. MATHCOUNTS does such a beautiful job of making math collaborative with team competitions as well as involving creative students to be expressive through its video challenges. Kids begin to understand through MATHCOUNTS that it's not just about solving esoteric problems but building relationships through teamwork. I am extremely excited to be a board member for this organization.

MATHCOUNTS is a truly wonderful organization that brings a love of learning and a love of math to middle schoolers. The strength of its programming cannot be overstated, and I've had the pleasure of seeing first hand its impact on participants. As a Board member, I also can say that the staff are second to none and bring a true dedication to their work. I'm honored to be a part of MATHCOUNTS!

My first exposure to MATHCOUNTS was as a volunteer over 20 years ago, helping with the local competition as a test grader. Working with the kids and seeing the enthusiasm first hand was inspiring - and from that moment I knew this was an organization that made a difference in an area that's critical to developing the next generation of talent. Since then, I've enjoyed volunteering in different capacities at the local, state, and - most recently - the national level. As a parent, I was thrilled when one of my sons joined his school's MATHCOUNTS club; even though his team didn't advance in the competition, he loved the club experience and connections he made - and he has continued into high school with a deeper appreciation for math. As a current board member, I've been uniformly impressed with the leadership of this organization and the dedication and focus of its staff. They are truly obsessed with engaging middle school students in mathematics, building confidence that will pay dividends for a lifetime. I've served on other non-profit boards, and can say with confidence that the leadership and staff of MATHCOUNTS are highly professional and top notch.