UCI to host statewide MathCounts competition

EVENT:  Regional winners from throughout California will vie for titles in the statewide MathCounts competition. Participants will include students from Irvine’s Rancho San Joaquin Middle School, Venado Middle School, Sierra Vista Middle School and Turtle Rock Elementary School. The top four finishers will represent California in the nationwide finals in May in Washington, D.C.

WHEN/WHERE: 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Saturday, March 9, UC Irvine Student Center’s Crystal Cove Auditorium and Pacific Ballroom (grid E8, bldg. 113 on campus map)

INFORMATION: Media planning to attend should contact Tatiana Arizaga at 949-824-0218 or tarizaga@uci.edu. Parking is available for $10 in the Student Center Parking Structure at West Peltason and Pereira drives. Attendance and parking are complimentary for members of the media who RSVP in advance.

HIGHLIGHTS:
9:15 a.m. Sprint Round (40 mins.)
10:05 a.m. Target Round (30 mins.)
10:45 a.m. Team Round (20 mins.)
1:45 p.m. Countdown Round (60 mins.)

BACKGROUND: MathCounts is a nationwide program designed to boost the math competency of middle school students in the public school system. It features a series of “spelling bee-style” competitions with elimination rounds based on team and individual effort. Competitions progress from the regional level to statewide and then national. For more information, visit www.physsci.uci.edu/outreach/mathcounts. For a video of MathCounts competition, go to www.uci.edu/video/mathbee/