Prattville Elementary student ranks among Alabama’s top young math achievers

Ridley Lawhorn’s math score put the 9-year-old Prattville Elementary student among Alabama’s top young achievers, but the recognition also highlighted the support system behind him in Prattville.

School officials recognized Ridley as a National Math Star after he scored in the top 2% on the Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program math assessment. The honor comes through a partnership that includes the Alabama State Department of Education, the Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative and National Math Stars, which says its Math Awards program is designed to identify and celebrate exceptional young mathematicians in grades 2 and 3.

For Ridley, the moment came as a surprise. He said he was “very shocked,” and described math less as rows of numbers on a page than as something closer to puzzles, memory games and Legos. That kind of curiosity is exactly what elementary educators often try to build before students reach the higher-stakes years of middle school and high school coursework.

His mother, Sidney Cothron, said the award carried extra weight because this school year was the first time Ridley had struggled with math. Seeing him push through that setback and still earn such a high score made the recognition feel like a family milestone. She said the family focused on confidence, curiosity and positive reinforcement at home, while teachers and relatives helped him practice and kept learning part of everyday life.

Ridley said the people around him made the difference. He credited his parents, grandparents, teachers and younger sister for making time to sit with him and work on extra practice. His advice to other students was simple: listen to teachers and parents, be patient, ask questions and learn from mistakes.

That message fits the broader purpose of the National Math Stars program, which says it is free for districts, schools and families and sends free award packets to partner schools. The organization says it currently operates in 10 U.S. states and that the awards can also bring school-wide math enrichment, including support for competitions. National Math Stars says its goal is to build a pathway that identifies, celebrates and supports students with extraordinary mathematical ability.

In Autauga County, the recognition also reflects the importance of ACAP testing, which Autauga County Schools says is a standards-based, criterion-referenced assessment for students in grades 2 through 8. The district says it is the only required standardized test for those grades in Alabama and is used for student, school and district accountability. Alabama STEM Council materials say the ACAP summative tests in math, English language arts and science are given each spring in grades 2 through 5.

For Prattville Elementary, the recognition gave a public boost to the school’s mission of helping students reach their academic, social and emotional potential. The school also says it is committed to supporting military-connected students, a reminder that academic success in Prattville often grows from a web of family, school and community support that can help a child recover, persist and excel.