Today is one of the happiest days of my life – I am sure all parents will understand!
My son, Nate, has just won the Illinois State MathCounts competition – the prime middle school math contest. Nate scored 43 out of 46 points, finishing 3 points ahead of the second place. This win complements the 2nd and 7th place that Nate earned in Illinois State MathCounts in the past two years, while competing against the older kids as a sixth and seventh grader. Nate joins a select group of students who made National finals more than once. He will lead the Illinois state team in the finals on May 8-10.
I am a very proud father and coach. While I am delighted to share my joy, I also want to use this opportunity to point out to all the young kids who love math and to all the parents who see a math talent in their children – hard work pays off. Nate has worked 10-15 hours a week with hardly a few weeks off for the past 8 years and the rewards are well worth it!
