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Woodlands Academy MathCats ICTM State Finals-bound

All 17 Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart participants in both team and individual events at this year's Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics' (ICTM) contest are State Finals qualifiers. Overall, the all-girls college-preparatory high school from Lake Forest placed second in Division 1A at the 2019 ICTM Region 20 Competition held at Niles West High School in Skokie Feb. 23.

Based on its first-place finish, Woodlands Academy's Algebra 1 team - comprised of freshmen Olivia Yang, Cindy Yao, Christine Ying and Lily Hinojosa - automatically advanced to the May 4 State Finals at the University of Illinois/Urbana-Champaign. Yang also will compete in the Algebra 1 event for individuals based on her first-place finish at the Niles West regional.

ICTM officials subsequently determined that the rest of the MathCats team had qualified for the State Finals based on the strength of their performances at the Niles West regional. This includes Woodlands Academy's second-place finishers: Algebra 2 and Frosh/Soph 8-Person teams as well as Cindy Yao and Ingrid Hu as individuals in Algebra 1 and Algebra 2 respectively.

In addition, the ICTM committee advanced Woodlands' Junior/Senior 8-person team and Christine Ying, as an individual in Algebra 1, to the May 4 finals in Urbana-Champaign.

Head of School Meg Steele was quick to offer congratulations. "I'm so proud of our 17 state finalists and of the leadership provided by MathCats moderator Dr. Valerie Rickert resulting in all of our participants advancing from this year's ICTM Regional Math Competition."

Woodlands Academy Assistant Principal Rocco Gargiulo - who also teaches some math classes - adds, "This wonderful news really confirms Woodlands Academy's commitment to STEM fields as well as the dedication of Dr. Rickert and our entire math department to teaching and leading our outstanding girls along the way to becoming empowered young women."

While Woodlands has participated in other math contests in the past, it joined the ICTM competition last year because of the variety of subjects and of the skills within one subject that it provides. "Our students were excited about this year's event and worked together as a cohesive group," Rickert said. "They encouraged each other and learned a lot."

According to organizers, the purpose of the ICTM State Math Contest is to recognize outstanding mathematical achievement, encourage independent study, stimulate interest in mathematics, and provide a wholesome meeting ground for students and teachers of mathematics through academic competition. It's been an annual event since 1980.

Founded in 1858, Woodlands Academy is an independent Catholic college preparatory day and boarding high school for young women. It's part of a worldwide network of Sacred Heart Schools that spans the United States and 40 other countries. A nonprofit, Woodlands Academy's identity is rooted in Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat's desire to inspire young hearts and minds to excel, to lead lives of integrity and to serve. For more information about Woodlands Academy, please visit www.woodlandsacademy.org

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