Forsyth County teen launches low-stress math contests for middle schoolers

In a county with 11 middle schools, more than 54,000 students and a math culture that already stretches from classroom problem-solving to national contests, one Forsyth County teenager is trying to make the subject feel less intimidating.

The idea is simple: give middle schoolers a low-stress way to compete, learn and build confidence without the pressure that can turn enrichment into a race. That approach fits a district where math instruction already emphasizes daily problem solving in elementary school and algebraic skills plus real-world problem solving in middle school, and where families have shown they will turn out for math events when the atmosphere feels welcoming.

Forsyth County Schools has seen that appetite before. On March 19, more than 60,000 students across the country took part in Math Kangaroo, and 29 Forsyth County students from 14 schools earned top-ten national rankings. The district recognized those students at a May 16 awards ceremony, underscoring how deeply math participation has taken root in one of Georgia’s fastest-growing school systems.

The county’s competition pipeline is already active. A six-student team from South Forsyth and Riverwatch middle schools placed fifth overall at the MathLeague Middle School National Championship on April 11 in Houston, at NASA Johnson Space Center. Forsyth County Schools also said 296 students competed in the 16th Annual Pi Fight at South Forsyth High School, another sign that low-pressure math events can draw a crowd.

MathLeague.org, the network behind similar competitions, says it runs more than 400 contests globally and reaches over 30,000 students each year. Its middle school program offers contests throughout the school year, with top scorers advancing to state or national championships, and the problems are designed to prepare students for MATHCOUNTS. In Forsyth, Otwell Middle School says its competition math team participates in MATHCOUNTS and county events, and that a MathLeague competition is held in October at Shiloh Point Elementary School.

That combination of school support, family interest and student-led initiative helps explain why a teen-run program can find traction here. Forsyth County Schools says enrollment has grown 40% in the past decade, and the district now serves students from 129 countries who speak 69 languages. In a community that diverse, a math contest that feels friendly, accessible and local may be exactly the kind of enrichment many families are looking for.