Local Mathletes Shine at Central Arkansas MATHCOUNTS Competition
On February 6, 2026, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock) hosted the Central Arkansas Chapter MATHCOUNTS Competition. The event brought together the region’s brightest middle school minds for a day of rigorous mathematical challenges, culminating in an impressive display of speed, accuracy, and teamwork.
Pinnacle View Takes Top Team Honors
The team competition saw Pinnacle View Middle School claim the first-place spot in the Team Round. Lisa Academy West Middle School followed in second place, with Lisa Academy North Middle-High School securing third. All three top teams have officially punched their tickets to the state-level competition.
Team Rankings:
- 1st Place Team, Pinnacle View Middle School, coached by Brooke Decker.
- 2nd Place Team, Lisa Academy West Middle School, coached by Onur Yuksel and James Owodeha.
- 3rd Place Team, Lisa Academy North Middle-High School, coached by Maysa Saparova
Yao Dominates Individual Standings
In the individual category, Charles Yao, competing as a Non-School Competitor, took the top prize. Yao delivered a stellar performance in the 鈥淪print Round,鈥� a 40-minute, 30-question test of speed and accuracy without the aid of a calculator. Charles answered 25 of the 30 questions correctly. He also excelled in the 鈥淭arget Round,鈥� where students solve four pairs of complex problems with calculators, correctly answering 6 out of 8.
Following closely was Tianrou Wu from Lisa Academy West and Pericles Wang from Pinnacle View. In total, 16 individual students from the Central Arkansas Chapter earned their spots at the state competition through high rankings or by advancing as part of a team.
Top 10 Individual Performers:
- Charles Yao (Non-School Competitor)
- Tianrou Wu (Lisa Academy West Middle School)
- Pericles Wang (Pinnacle View Middle School)
- Ethan Tang (Pinnacle View Middle School)
- Calix Chen (Pinnacle View Middle School)
- Siyona Gangidi (Lisa Academy West Middle School)
- Peter Xiong (Lisa Academy West Middle School)
- Jayni Gokarakonda (Lisa Academy West Middle School)
- Yunduo He (Pinnacle View Middle School)
- Sara Chen (Pinnacle View Middle School)
The Road to State
The MATHCOUNTS competition series is designed to foster a love for mathematics and problem-solving. By progressing through the Chapter-level competition, these students have demonstrated not only mathematical proficiency but also the ability to perform under pressure.
What鈥檚 Next?
The qualifying students and teams will return to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock on March 6, 2026, for the Arkansas State MATHCOUNTS Competition. The top four individuals from the state level will eventually earn an all-expenses-paid trip to the National Competition in Orlando, Florida, this May.
Congratulations to all the participants for their hard work and dedication to excellence in STEM!