After a multi-year pause, Wellington has reintroduced its MATHCOUNTS team — and what a return it has been. This year, 10 sixth grade students were invited to join, and all 10 participated, making for a full squad at the Central Ohio Regional MATHCOUNTS Competition.
L to R: Grae, Ainsley, Lena, Joey, Stavro, Charlie, Aryan, Andrew, Adrien, Grant
Meet the 2024 MATHCOUNTS Team
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Grae Albanese ’31
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Adrien Bashombana ’31
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Charlie Berndt ’31
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Joey Camillus ’31
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Stavro Ghally ’31
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Andrew Harry ’31
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Grant Kellermann ’31
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Ainsley Merl ’31
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Aryan Patel ’31
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Lena Weinberg ’31
With Wellington fielding the youngest team at the competition, the students held their own among 35 middle schools and 300 of the region’s top math students. Lena Weinberg ’31 finished in the top 15% of all competitors, a remarkable accomplishment given the depth of the field.
“We were competing against schools many times larger than Wellington, and our students rose to the challenge,” said Mark Rodgers P '16, middle school math. “I’m incredibly proud of them — not just for their performance, but for their willingness to take risks and work hard to achieve their goals, whether in math competitions or any other realm.”
A Unique Challenge in Mathematics
MATHCOUNTS is a national program that encourages middle school students to engage in competitive mathematics. The Central Ohio regional competition took place at Columbus State Community College on February 8 and featured three rounds:
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Sprint Round – Focuses on speed and accuracy in problem-solving.
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Target Round – Emphasizes deeper mathematical reasoning and strategy.
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Team Round – Allows groups of four to collaborate on solving complex problems.
Top finishers move on to state and national levels, much like a spelling bee.
A Growing Tradition at Wellington
Students prepared for the competition in a variety of ways. Some participated in Wellington’s Dive class, "Fun Math Contests!," while the most competitive students practiced independently with past MATHCOUNTS tests.
“MATHCOUNTS is a fun way for students to compete outside of sports,” said Rodgers. “Some students are driven to place at the top of the competition, while others focus on improving their personal best. Either way, it’s incredibly rewarding.”
This year marked the return of MATHCOUNTS to Wellington, but it’s just the beginning. The team will expand next year to include seventh and eighth grade students, ensuring that this year’s success lays the foundation for a new tradition.
“I hope our students come away with a feeling of accomplishment and a desire to work hard to compete at a progressively higher level each year,” said Rodgers. “More than anything, I hope their love of learning continues to grow.”