<p>Anybody has a kid that is in Orlando this weekend?</p>
<p>I assume your kid made to national Mathcounts. Congratulations and have fun in Orlando. Aslo good luck at National for your kid. My D2 did not make it this year. She has one more year to try.</p>
<p>in 2001 I did. </p>
<p>Great program. I have been volunteering at chapter and state level competitions ever since.</p>
<p>This was awesome! Watching Countdown live was amazing, almost surreal.
Kid did OK, top 30%, spectacular for someone who was not really involved in Mathcounts till 2 months ago! Some of the kids there have SEVERAL coaches! A really eye opening experience.
I think having the Nationals in Orlando was a real treat for the kids. It has made some of them work extra hard to get there! And there are rumors it will be held in Orlando for as long as Raytheon is the main sponsor.</p>
<p>Randomdad - what did your kid do after Mathcounts? Where is he/she now?</p>
<p>Susan4 - some states are much more competitive that others. Good luck to your D next year !</p>
<p>Sent you a PM, Kelowna.</p>
<p>mathson’s team was never good enough for nationals, but they did make it to states one year. I couldn’t believe how fast the kids were at Countdown. I hadn’t finished reading the questions and they already had answers! mathson wasn’t in their league at all - he actually finished 19th, but he had never spent the time memorizing all the little tricks.</p>
<p>we love to watch mathcounts. our 6th grader was 3rd in regionals but only 22 in state (tough state!) but is working hard to try to make nationals next year. countdown round is amazing!
he has a teacher coach him a few hours/week…guess we need to find a second coach (or maybe just go through the art of problem solving books?) he needs to get quicker…</p>
<p>my s went to Nationals in 2002-it is a great program-I wish more middle schools would have a team.</p>
<p>Watching the countdown round live was just surreal, strange, bizzare.
Raytheon has hinted that for all three years they are the sponsors the event is going to take place at Disney World. There you have an additional motivation for kids!</p>
<p>Countdown is very different from the written part of the competition. To succeed there you basically have to memorize problems , a little bit like the spelling bee. The boy that won written and was second in countdown this year had 4 (four) coaches come up to the stage with him at the awards banquet. Countdown is like any other sport!</p>
<p>wow! i am impressed… what did he do after middle school (ie couses taken or other high school level competition or career/school stuff)…i wonder what path these kids take since i lose track of them after middle school…</p>
<h1>theoryson made it to states twice with only his dad as a coach ( this was a few years back in 7th and 8th grade - he is a senior now) - but he got no further than state.</h1>
<p>These kids are just awesome that make it to finals. Congrats to your son and how great for you to get to go and see it.</p>