The State Mathcounts competition was held on Mar. 12, 2010 at Coastal Carolina University.  This is the first time the state competition that it has been held at Coastal Carolina University with ­ 70 students and 14 schools from across the state participating.

“Mathcounts is a program for sixth through eighth graders to show their competence and skills in mathematics,” said Marguerite McClam, PE, Mathcounts coordinator for the South Carolina Society of Professional Engineers. “These teams competed in local competition in seven areas around the state. All of these Mathletes were winners before they came to Coastal Carolina University. In order to compete at the state level these students had to win their local competition to advance.”

Emma Savage-Davis, Ed.D, Coastal Carolina University, help make this years State Competition a great success.  She and students from Coastal Carolina helped staff the event by registering schools, students proctoring the testing and serving lunch.  

The top four individual winners plus the coach from the winning school team represent South Carolina at the national competition in Washington D.C. at the Renaissance Washington Hotel May 5-8 2011. 

Winners of the 2011 Mathcounts had the honor of receiving their awards from Coastal Carolina University President, David A. DeCenzo, PhD.  Dr. DeCenzo spoke to mathletes about the importance of education, as well as all Coastal Carolina University’s excellent higher education reputation.

Marguerite McClam, SCSPE MathCounts Coordinator, Coastal Carolina President David A. DeCenzo, PhD, SC State MathCounts Team: Amil Merachant, David Stoner, Richard Chen,  Kevin Zhao, & Coach Cathy Stinson

This year’s first place winner, David Stoner, Aiken Chapter, attends St. Mary’s Help of Christians and will be attending his second National Mathcounts Competition.  Second Place winner, Richard Chen, Columbia Chapter, from Dent Middle school is a 2 year veteran at the National Competition.  Also from the Columbia Chapter, Kevin Zhao of Pleasant Hill Middle School took the third place, and rounding out the South Carolina National Team, Amil Merchant, Piedmont Chapter, of Sterling Middle School came in fourth.  All of these students are 8th graders and will make South Carolina proud when they represent the state at the national competition.

The national Coach is Cathy Stinson, Dent Middle School, Columbia, as her team had the highest team score.  This will be Coach Stinson’s third trip to National.