Contact: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Monday, April 6, 2009

Valerie Sarge and Vania Ma of Winburn Middle School placed first and second, respectively, out of more than 150 participants in the state MATHCOUNTS contest. Vania also won the countdown round (quick recall). 

Winburn finished second out of 27 teams in the March 28 competition, and Lexington Traditional Magnet School came in third.

The top four individual students, including Valerie and Vania, won four-year scholarships to the University of Kentucky or the University of Louisville. They also advance to the national MATHCOUNTS contest next month in Orlando.

MATHCOUNTS is a nationwide program designed to improve math skills among U.S. middle school students. Students compete individually and as teams in written and fast-paced oral matches designed to stimulate their exposure to a wide range of mathematics. There are four types of competition, including quick-recall rounds with buzzers and problem-solving with pencil and paper.

For more details about the Kentucky program, contact Natalee Feese, mathematics K-12 district coordinator, at (859) 381-4238.