Renbrook Wins at MATHCOUNTS Competition

Renbrook sixth grader Samuel (Sam) Bidwell of Bloomfield took first place and Renbrook's team scored third among the teams attending the MATHCOUNTS 2011 held February 12 at the University of Hartford. Everyone on Renbrook's team, plus Edmund (Tamas) Takata of Farmington and Jeremiah (J.J.) Lim of Simsbury, also qualified for the state competition on March 12.

The daylong competition drew 200 individuals, 26 alternates and 25 teams to the University of Hartford. Renbrook's Head of School, Armistead Webster attended the event. "I was particularly impressed by the level of sportsmanship our students demonstrated," Dr. Webster said. "They supported their Renbrook teammates and also appreciated the accomplishments of competitors from other schools."

Both Sam and eighth grader Evan Hsia qualified for the oral countdown round open only to the day's 16 top scorers. Sam won first place. Renbrook's team included: Sam, Evan and eighth graders Anjulee Bhalla of Weatogue and Frank Tucci of Hartford. Also competing as individuals were eighth graders Nathaniel Bidwell of Bloomfield, J.J. Lim of Simsbury and Tamas Takata of Farmington; and seventh graders Rachel Gart of Avon, Samuel Kent of West Hartford and Nicholas Mehlman of Farmington.

Ninth graders Anderson Huang of South Windsor and Paul Yoon of Wethersfield coached the Renbrook competitors, working with math faculty member Marianne Michailow. "I am very proud of our mathletes," said Ms. Michailow. "Kudos to our math program from beginning to end. We all have played a part in this victory."

In describing the school's response to these victories, Dr. Webster said, "Back at school our 'mathletes' received the level of recognition that is more commonly reserved for athletes in this country. There was the official recognition at morning meeting and classmates and teachers gave our team high-fives and verbal kudos when they saw them in the hall."

Renbrook is an independent school serving students preschool through ninth grade. Math is part of the program from beginning to end. Renbrook is home to the region's only middle-school Math Center, a suite of classrooms and lab space dedicated to the teaching of mathematics. Visit www.renbrook.org/mathcenter for more information.

MATHCOUNTS is a nationwide junior high math program sponsored by the Connecticut Society of Professional Engineers, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.