Britton Middle School at the Head of the Math Class

Local schools score well in nationwide math competition
When it comes to mathematics, few places in the country know their numbers as well as a group of students from several Morgan Hill middle schools.

At recent nationwide competition in November against more than 2,500 schools, students from Britton Middle School scored in the top 1 percent while other local participants beat the national average.

“I can’t say I’m surprised,” said Brian Conrey, director of the American Institute of Mathematics (AIM), who coaches local students in the MathCounts program. “I’ve worked with these kids, I see their capabilities. Still, it was a wonderful reward for their hard work. I’m very pleased. I’m not surprised there are such talented kids in Morgan Hill.”

Teams from Britton, Martin Murphy Middle and the Charter School of Morgan Hill competed in the 2005 American Mathematics Competition 8 (AMC 8), which was held in November. Results of the competition were recently announced, and the combined scores from the top three students on the Britton team – Bryant Gamboa, Peter Mains and Joshua Yip – totaled 68 out of a possible 75. Other Silicon Valley schools reaching the 1 percent “honor roll” included Harker Academy and Cupertino Middle School.

“MathCounts has been incredible for my son,” said Lori Mains, coordinator of the Morgan Hill branch of the program and Peter’s mom. “I’m always surprised how motivated he is to participate, how he will choose to do it over other activities …. My son is not exceptional, and I have a friend, her daughter is the same, and her daughter chose not to do this. Now, when I see them take tests, I really see the difference. MathCounts has expanded his learning beyond the basic curriculum. It solidifies their learning.”

The program is an established, nationwide program, Conrey said, that he learned about years ago when he was in Oklahoma.

“When my own kids were middle school age, and I started the program in Stillwater, Okla., we sent buses around to the schools and brought the kids to Oklahoma State University where college math majors would coach the students,” he said. “In four years, we had a state championship team, with one of the individual champions coming in 22nd in the country. That student is now earning a PhD in math.”

Peter Mains, an eighth grader, has been with the Morgan Hill program since it started four years ago. while Gamboa and Yip have participated for two years.

Gamboa, a seventh grader, was just one question away from receiving a perfect score of 25 on the American Mathematics Competition 8, with a score of 24, Mains said. 

Peter Mains and Yip, both eighth graders, answered 22 out of the 25 word problems correctly. 

Nationally, the average score for eighth graders taking the test was 10.5, while the seventh grade average was a 9.4, Mains added. 

Nine of the 14 Britton students taking the test scored above average, with Gabriela Cinkova receiving the highest score, 15, for a new member. 

At Martin Murphy, six of the 15 students taking the test received a score of 11 or better. Maggie Luu was Murphy’s high scorer, with a 14.

Charter School of Morgan Hill student Zoe Bostick and Valerie Ng had scores of 17 and 16.

Students in MathCounts meet weekly with coaches from their middle schools and twice a month with Conrey at Gavilan College in Morgan Hill. There is also a weekly program for sixth graders from various schools. 

The program is free to participating students with all fees paid by AIM, Main said. It runs yearly from late September to early February, culminating with the teams’ participation in a chapter competition at San Jose State University.

Lori Mains said she is considering forming a three- week program in the spring, to gauge student interest in participating in the larger program the following fall.

“This would give students who aren’t sure they want to make the commitment an opportunity to see what it’s all about,” she said. “And for their parents to learn more about the program.”

Interested parents can contact Mains by email at ma********@ch*****.net or by phone, 408-782-2034.