Multiply, Divide and Conquer: Florida Middle School Math Whizzes Win Statewide Competition
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (April 1, 2026) – For the second year in a row, a team of middle school students from the Frazer School in Gainesville won Florida’s statewide math competition, MATHCOUNTS. Four Mathletes® from schools in Gainesville, Miami, Orlando and Sanford took home top prizes in the individual math competition.
MATHCOUNTS, a program of the Florida Engineering Society (FES) and the Florida Engineering Foundation, hosts local, state and national competitions to spark interest in math-related careers, such as engineering. Hundreds of FES members volunteer thousands of hours to organize the local and state competitions.
In Florida, participating middle schools compete individually or as part of a team in one of the 19 FES Chapter competitions during the month of February. In March, winning teams and individuals convene for the statewide competition. State winners join middle school Mathletes from around the country vying to win the 2026 RTX MATHCOUNTS National Competition.
“MATHCOUNTS makes math exciting and encourages students to pursue a career in STEM fields, like engineering,” said Jamie Graham, PE, a Florida Engineering Society member and MATHCOUNTS Co-Chair and volunteer. “Florida is sending one of its strongest teams to the national competition this year and we are excited to see them showcase their skills as they represent Florida on the national stage.”
INDIVIDUAL WINNERS
Nearly 2,100 Mathletes, representing 218 Florida middle schools, competed in local chapter competitions, with 34 students advancing to the state competition. The top four statewide winners in the individual competition that will comprise Team Florida during the national competition include:
- 1st Place: Jason Zhang, The Frazer School, Gainesville
- 2nd Place: Arcel Ieuan Garcia, Sanford Middle School, Sanford
- 3rd Place: Hardit Tayal, Orlando Science Middle School Charter, Orlando
- 4th Place: Ian Lam, Archimedean Middle Conservatory, Miami
TEAM COMPETITION WINNERS
220 middle school teams from across Florida competed in local chapter competitions, with 41 advancing to the state competition. For the second year in a row, students from The Frazer School in Gainesville took home the team competition award. Team members include:
- Vivek Kolli
- Isabella Mendoza
- Jacob Paret
- Jason Zhang
- Tej Bemzai-Wokhlu (Alternate)
- Pushpa Kurian (Coach)
COACH OF THE YEAR
Behind every Mathlete are coaches and volunteers preparing students for the challenging competitions. This year, Pam Earnest of Howard Middle School in Marion County took home the respected Coach of the Year award.
The national MATHCOUNTS competition will take place on May 9-12 in Orlando, FL.
