Mathletes and Chess Club

Math Teams have had their golden moment: inpresented with a problem simultaneously, and all 8
Mean Girls, popular girl Cady (played by Lindsayparticipants race to find an answer. The first
Lohan) is a key player on the "Mathletes." Andperson to buzz in with a correct answer gets the
though they often get a bad rap, math teams dopoints for their team. If a team buzzes
have a lot to offer high school students. Chessincorrectly, they must wait for the other team to
club is in this section as well because the twoguess before submitting a second answer.
games use similar logic and thinking parts of theChess:
brain. Chess Team is still waiting for their goldenChess is an intense game of logic. The goal is to
moment."check mate" your opponent, meaning that there
First, Math:are no safe ways for his king to move without
With local, regional and national competitions, mathyour pieces killing him. You need to plan far ahead,
teams are active throughout the school year.not just your next move, which means
They are often used to supplement the mathanticipating what your opponent will do as well as
education given in the classroom for morehow you will react to it. Chess players have
advanced students. Math competitions challengebetter special, numerical, and verbal abilities than
you to think out problems in your own way astheir non-playing counterparts. Both chess and
opposed to what is dictated by, say, the 10thmath teams offer great opportunities for
grade standard. It also gives you a real-worldsocialization for a group that stereotypically keeps
view of applied mathematics. Math competitionsto themselves. So get out, make friends, and do
are generally 4-on-4. The two teams aretwo things that you love: math and playing chess!