Lincolnshire Team Wins All-girls Mathalon in Lake Forest

A duo from Lincolnshire’s Daniel Wright Junior High School was the winning team at Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart’s sixth annual Mathalon event Oct. 14. In all, nearly 50 7th and 8th grade girls from 11 area schools spent a Saturday morning putting their math skills to the test in creative, problem-solving ways at the all-girls college-prep high school in Lake Forest.

Finishing in second place this year was Grayslake’s St. Gilbert School followed by Bannockburn Middle School in third place, Lake Bluff Middle School in fourth and Libertyville’s Highland Middle School rounding out the top five.

Also participating in this year’s Woodlands Academy Mathalon were the following schools from Lake and Cook counties, listed alphabetically:

• East Lake Academy, Lake Forest
• Grayslake Middle School, Grayslake
• Most Blessed Trinity Academy, Waukegan
• Quest Academy, Palatine
• Sacred Heart Schools, Chicago
• Thomas Jefferson Middle School, Waukegan

Rocco Gargiulo, Woodlands Academy assistant principal and mathematics department chair, said the teams tackled eight events, none of which were rote paper and pencil drills, with Woodlands students serving as their guides and cheerleaders. “These events were hands-on cooperative activities that engaged students to use mathematics in creative, problem-solving ways. The events involved mathematical computation, estimation, visual/spacial reasoning, logic and the use of technology,” he added.

Woodlands Academy is an independent Catholic day-and-boarding high school for young women in grades nine through 12 that promotes academic, artistic and athletic excellence along with global awareness, social responsibility and strong faith.

According to research cited by the National Coalition of Girls' Schools, all-girls' schools lead the way in graduating women who become our nation's scientists, doctors, engineers, designers and inventors. Research shows that girls' school graduates are more likely to consider majoring in math, science and technology and also are more likely to consider engineering careers compared to girls who attend coed schools.

_{Top Photo: Members of this year’s Woodlands Academy Mathalon championship team, representing Daniel Wright Junior High School in Lincolnshire, proudly display their trophy following the Oct. 14 event for middle school girls at the Lake Forest school.}