A Math Prize for Girls

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education is a hot topic these days. Positive and lasting economic growth, in all developed countries, heavily depends upon innovations that emerge from STEM programs. While colleges and universities work to cultivate the best environment for research in these areas, and provide pathways to application of the resulting research, there's the question of how to build the pipeline of well-prepared students who can participate in these post-secondary STEM opportunities. Advantage Testing Foundation has risen to the challenge with a competition designed to encourage young women of exceptional potential to excel in science and mathematics. Their Math Prize for Girls is open to girls in grades 9 to 11, and just completed its second year. The participants must have qualified by taking the AMC exam offered by the Mathematics Association of America in February each year. This year's winner, Danielle Wang of Campbell, CA, walked away with a generous $25,000 prize for her demonstrated abilities. The second place prize of $10,000 went to Elizabeth Synge of Lexington, MA, who took first place in last year's event. The third, fourth, and fifth place finishers received $5,000, $2,000, and $1,000 in prize money respectively. The competition involves a 150-minute test covering traditional high school mathematics such as algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and number theory in a series of problems which require creative thinking to solve. A press release for the event quotes Arun Alagappan, President of the AT Foundation and co-founder of the competition, "By expanding access to higher education, we hope to promote diversity in the nation's leadership ranks." Advantage Testing is a private tutorial service which puts forth the proposition that tests are powerful vehicles for learning. The Advantage Testing Foundation is the company's public service arm. The AT Foundation works in partnership with higher education institutions, private enterprise, and public service organizations to identify need and gather resources to further sustainable, reproducible educational services. US Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan is a former board member.