The Warren County School District held its annual Warren County School District Challenge 24 Tournament in early May at Warren Area High School. Challenge 24 is a tournament that sharpens students’ mental math, number sense, critical thinking, problem-solving and pattern sensing. Students compete in a tournament style using addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division to develop solutions to problems that equal 24.

“The Challenge 24 tournament was a true showcase of talent and determination,” said Meggi Brown, Beaty-Warren gifted/enrichment teacher. “I couldn’t be prouder of how well everyone performed. I was also very excited for Kaylee (Gray) who received first place two years in a row.”

Students from Beaty, Sheffield, Youngsville, Eisenhower and Warren Area Elementary took part, with fourth and fifth graders competing together, sixth graders by themselves and seventh and eighth graders competing together.

The top 20 from the school-level competition advanced to the regional Challenge 24 tournament in Edinboro, Pa., hosted by the Northwest Tri-County Intermediate Unit 5. Saint Joes Catholic School also took eight fourth through sixth grade students to the tournament.

Shown are sixth, seventh and eighth grade students who advanced to the 24 Challenge regional competition. Back row, from left, are Carissa Smith (eighth grade, Beaty), RJ Frederick (seventh grade, Eisenhower), Mathew Mobley (eighth grade, Eisenhower), Greyson Webber (seventh grade, Eisenhower). Middle row, from left, are Peyton Vincent (eighth Grade, Beaty), Kaylee Gray (sixth grade, Beaty), Bristol Fuller (sixth grade, Beaty), Liliana Sandagata (sixth grade, Beaty), Ethan Zimmerman (sixth grade Saint Joes), James Alexander (sixth grade, Saint Joes), Braylon Curtis (sixth grade, Saint Joes), Reed Fitzgerald (sixth grade, Saint Joes), Ashton Carrington (seventh grade, Beaty), Trent Miles (seventh grade, Beaty). Kneeling in the front is Hayley Northrop (sixth grade, Youngsville).

In the first two rounds, all students compete. In Round 1, students solve single digit cards. In Round 2, students solve double digit cards. The IU5 then combines student scores from Rounds 1 and 2 to determine the top 12 students who move onto the semi-final round. In the semi-final round, students have to solve 10 variable cards, which consists of finding one variable that solves both sides of the cards to make 24 on both sides.

Elementary school students who advanced to the regional competition are Sydnie Wyman (fifth grade, Youngsville), Daxter Irons (fifth grade, Beaty), Tristan Lord (fifth grade, Sheffield), Carson Lord (fifth grade, Sheffield), Cecilia Wallace (fifth grade, Eisenhower), Elyzza Linkerhof (fourth grade, Eisenhower), Derek Leach (fifth grade, Eisenhower), Andrew Grosch (fifth grade, Saint Joes), Max Papalia (fourth grade, Saint Joes), Jude Defabio (fourth grade, Saint Joes), Reagan Caldwell (fourth grade, Saint Joes). Avah Briggs, a fifth-grader at Eisenhower, and Razzlin Pratz from fifth grade at Beaty-Warren also qualified for the Regional Challenge 24 Tournament but were not able to attend.

Fourth and fifth graders who made it to the semifinal round were: Andrew Grosch, Daxter Irons, Derek Leach, Elyzza Linkerhof, Carson Lord, Tristan Lord and Cecilia Wallace. The student who had the highest score at their table then moved on to the final round, which consisted of three students.

“I was really excited to make it to semi-finals,” said Andrew Grosch, a fifth grader from St. Joseph Catholic School.

Tristan Lord and Carson Lord from Sheffield both made it to the top three for the 4th/fifth grade level, with Lord, a fifth-grader from Sheffield, taking first overall in the region.

Pictured is Tristan Lord, fifth grader at Sheffield, who took first overall in the region for fourth and fifth grade students.

The final round consisted of double variable cards. When playing double variable cards, students have to find one variable that will solve all 4 equations, 2 on each card. Carson Lord, a fifth-grader from Sheffield, took second overall in the region.

Four sixth grade participants and eight seventh and eighth grade students from the Warren County School District as well as four sixth-graders from St. Joseph competed in the sixth- through eighth-grade competition.

Kaylee Gray, a sixth-grader, placed first in the regional tournament for the second consecutive year. Other sixth-graders making it to the semi-finals were Braylon Curtis, Reed Fitzgerald, Bristol Fuller, Hayley Northrop and Liliana Sandagata.

“The hard work and dedication brought me here,” Gray said. “Winning again brought me joy and I’m glad for everyone else who made it to regionals.”

The final group to compete was seventh and eighth grade students, including Carissa Smith (eighth grade, Beaty), RJ Frederick (seventh grade, Eisenhower), Mathew Mobley (eighth grade, Eisenhower), Greyson Webber (seventh grade, Eisenhower), Peyton Vincent (eighth grade, Beaty), Kaylee Gray (sixth grade, Beaty), Bristol Fuller (sixth grade, Beaty), Liliana Sandagata (sixth grade, Beaty), Ethan Zimmerman (sixth grade Saint Joes), James Alexander (sixth grade, Saint Joes), Braylon Curtis (sixth grade, Saint Joes), Reed Fitzgerald ( sixth grade, Saint Joes), Ashton Carrington (seventh grade, Beaty), Trent Miles (seventh grade, Beaty), and Hayley Northrop (sixth grade, Youngsville).

Pictured are elementary school 24 Challenge regional competitors, back row, from left, Sydnie Wyman (fifth grade, Youngsville), Daxter Irons (fifth grade, Beaty), Tristan Lord (fifth grade, Sheffield), Carson Lord (fifth grade, Sheffield), Cecilia Wallace (fifth grade, Eisenhower). Front row, from left, are Elyzza Linkerhof (fourth grade, Eisenhower), Derek Leach (fifth grade, Eisenhower), Andrew Grosch (fifth grade, Saint Joes), Max Papalia (fourth grade, Saint Joes), Jude Defabio (fourth grade, Saint Joes) and Reagan Caldwell (fourth grade, Saint Joes).

Jayden Harrington and Ryker Chase from Youngsville qualified for the Regional Challenge 24 Tournament, but were not able to attend.

Advancing to the semi-finals were Ashton Carrington, RJ Frederick, Mathew Mobley, Carissa Smith, Peyton Vincent, and Greyson Webber, with Mobley winning the regional competition.

“It’s been one fun ride,” Mobley said. “It’s not about how you start but how you finish and winning was a dream.”