Ben Song, an eighth-grader at Calkins Road Middle School, was recently named as a Countdown Round Semifinalist at the 2024 RTX MATHCOUNTS National Competition. Along with being named as a semifinalist across the nation, Ben was also awarded a $3,000 scholarship.

Ben participated in a written competition, a seminar called “Preparing Strong Math Students for College and Careers,” and a MATHCOUNTS Countdown Round, which is a showcase of the nation's top young mathematicians. The 12 students with the highest scores on the MATHCOUNTS written exam competed head-to-head in fast-paced matchups to vie for the title of National Champion.

The competition, which took place May 11-14 in Washington, DC, is a celebration of the nation's brightest young mathematicians. 224 Mathletes participated in the finals of the MATHCOUNTS Competition Series.