Mathletes shine at state competition in Wiesbaden

Middle school students from DoDEA Europe and DoDEA Pacific competed in the 2024 DoD MATHCOUNTS State Competition held in Wiesbaden, Germany. Over the course of three days, these young "mathletes" showcased their mathematical talents in various challenging rounds and engaged in enriching activities, including a visit to the Mathematikum museum. This event highlighted the students' academic skills and emphasized the importance of teamwork and social interaction, culminating in the selection of top students to represent DoDEA at the national competition in Washington D.C..

MATHCOUNTS, a national coaching and competition program, is designed to ignite and nurture middle school students' interest and achievement in mathematics. Every fall, dedicated teachers and enthusiastic volunteers coach young mathletes, providing support and guidance throughout the academic year.

The DoD MATHCOUNTS State Competition had students from Ankara Elementary High School in Türkiye; Humphreys Middle School and Osan Middle High School in South Korea; Lester Middle School and Yokota Middle School in Japan; Naples Middle School and Vicenza Middle School in Italy; and Netzaberg Middle School, Ramstein Middle School, and Wiesbaden Middle School in Germany.

These students competed in a series of rigorous math challenges, including Sprint, Target, and Team Rounds, showcasing their mathematical prowess.

In addition to the competition, students participated in a variety of math-related activities over the three-day event. One highlight was a visit to the Mathematikum museum, where students engaged in interactive exhibits that brought math concepts to life.  

A student reflected on their experience, stating, "I really enjoyed the game we played on the last day. It felt like I was connecting with people my age, and that the people weren't just mathletes, they were actual kids my age." 

This sentiment highlights the program's success in combining academic competition with social interaction.

“Participating at events like MATHCOUNTS emphasizes the importance of fostering mathematical excellence and teamwork among middle school students through competitive and interactive experiences,” said Joy Schiele, the DoD State MATHCOUNTS coordinator and the instructional systems specialist (ISS) for science and STEM in the Europe East District. “This highlights DoDEA's commitment to providing enriching educational opportunities that extend beyond the classroom.”

DoDEA middle school students participating in the 2024 DoD MATHCOUNTS State Competition visit the Mathematikum museum. The museum's interactive exhibits brought math concepts to life.

The 2024 DoD MATHCOUNTS State Competition results

Team Placements
 

• Ankara Elementary High School (Orion Balaram, Narmin Guliyeva, Miles Mollamustafaoglu, and Nia Sepashvili; Coach: Senem Kadioglu)
• Ramstein Middle School (Kiana Michelle Cordova, Scarlett Delcour, Jasmine Elhihi, and Joey Faraone; Coach: Vinh Mai)
• Lester Middle School (Davin Lauwardy, Gunner Marshall, Jackson Reaves, and Lucas Sze; Coach: Roza Dye)
• Naples Middle High School (Natalie Dye, Ada McCaskey, Annamaria Otis, and Ebru Yildirim; Coach: Kevin Smith)
• Humphreys Middle School (Timothy Hoover, Louane Kang, Jonathan Kim, and Vivian Kim; Coach: Rachel Moon)
• Netzaberg Middle School (Wesley Bosompem, Noah Kim, Artemus Ramirez, and Fuechi Yang; Coach: Ellen Mutter)

Individual Placements 

• Ada McCaskey (Naples Middle High School; Coach: Kevin Smith)
• Lucas Sze (Lester Middle School; Coach: Roza Dye)
• Narmin Guliyeva (Ankara Elementary High School; Coach: Senem Kadioglu)
• Cooper McCann (Vicenza Middle School; Coach: Carl Shouppe)
• Miles Mollamustafaoglu (Ankara Elementary High School; Coach: Senem Kadioglu)
• Mallie Nichols (Wiesbaden Middle School; Coach: Justin Morse)

Countdown Round - Europe Region  

• Ada McCaskey (Naples Middle High School; Coach: Kevin Smith)
• Cooper McCann (Vicenza Middle School; Coach: Carl Shouppe)
• Wesley Bosompem (Netzaberg Middle School; Coach: Ellen Mutter)
• Narmin Guliyeva (Ankara Elementary High School; Coach: Senem Kadioglu)
• Baedyn Morehouse (Vicenza Middle School; Coach: Carl Shouppe)
• Mallie Nichols (Wiesbaden Middle School; Coach: Justin Morse)

Representing the DoD state at the national competition will be Ada McCaskey with Naples Middle School, Lucas Sze with Lester Middle School, Narmin Guliyeva with Ankara Elementary High School, and Cooper McCann with Vicenza Middle School. The team will be coached by Senem Kadioglu, teacher at Ankara Elementary High School, at the national event in Washington D.C.

DoDEA extends its gratitude to Denise Bush, Matt Cirillo, Anna Coss, Cheryl Curry, Tina Lara, Jennifer Luckett, Jennifer Payne, Chris Putnam, Kevin Schiele, and Alan Weldon for their assistance in conducting the 2024 DoD MATHCOUNTS State Competition.

The Defense STEM Education Consortium (DSEC) is a collaborative partnership aimed at broadening STEM literacy and developing a diverse and agile workforce with technical excellence. The MATHCOUNTS Foundation, as a member of DSEC, plays a critical role in inspiring and developing the nation’s science and technology workforce.