ACP Middle School meets math challenge

Are we preparing our children for the challenges they will face as they reach adulthood – robotics, artificial intelligence, cyber security, climate change?

The Chandler Unified School District (CUSD) has accepted this challenge and strives to provide rigorous educational environments across the district.

The Arizona College Prep Middle School challenges students in grades six through eight.

Originally, the school, opened in 2012 and covered grades seven through 12. As student population exploded, the school was divided into a middle school and a high school.

The guiding light at ACP is the principal, Manjula Reddy, who leads a school staff with strong core values of growth, dedication and community.

One activity that requires students to accept meaningful challenges is the school’s participation in Math Counts competition.

The Math Counts Foundation was established in 1983 to provide an engaging math program for middle schoolers that builds confidence and improves mathematical attitudes. Team ACP competed in the Math Counts national event.

Throughout Arizona, middle school teams were engaging in the four parts of this competition.

The first two rounds required students to participate as individuals. First there was the Sprint Round, where students had 40 minutes to answer 30 questions, without the use of a calculator.

The second event was the Target Round, where individuals receive 4 pairs of problems and have 6 minutes to complete each pair of problems

The third part was the Team Round, four members of the ACP team worked together to solve 10 problems in 20 minutes.

Finally, there was the Countdown Round, where the top 10 participants in the first two rounds compete in a “quiz bowl” type competition – students “buzz” in with answers.

Three of the ACP team members scored in the top ten statewide, a significant accomplishment. How do these students prepare for Math Counts?

Orencio Medina is the ACP teacher who supervises the math team, which practices regularly.

The students work through problems from previous Math Counts competitions, which are similar to the problems to be found in this year’s challenge.

Given the end result, it is obvious that Medina was effective in preparing his team, another example of how the Arizona College Prep Middle School is helping Chandler’s youth to prepare for the future which awaits them.

If you are interested in enrolling in ACP Middle School, visit: cusd80.com/ACPOAKLAND.