Middle school students from Stafford Middle School, Chazy Central Rural School and Saranac Lake Central School competed in the MATHCOUNTS Competition Series, the nation’s premier math competition, on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Provided photo)

PLATTSBURGH — Middle school students from Stafford Middle School, Chazy Central Rural School and Saranac Lake Central School competed in the MATHCOUNTS Competition Series, the nation’s premier math competition, on Saturday, Jan. 31 at the Institute for Advanced Manufacturing.

The students were tested in two individual rounds and one team round. Stafford Middle School students took home first, second and third place trophies for the individual testing rounds. First place award was presented to Charvy Lamsol, Eli Brightwell in second place and Juwon Hwang was the third-place finisher. Stafford Middle School team members also earned first place in the Team Round, followed by Saranac Lake Central School in second place and Chazy Central Rural School claiming third place.

This event is not possible without our volunteers, including members of the Clinton Community College’s faculty who served as the MATCHOUNTS competition ‘Graders’: Maggie Courson, Interim VP of Academic Affairs, Angela Barnaby and Julie Hanson (Math Dept.), Christina Cone and Mike Lawliss (Science Dept.). Thank you to D. Billy Jones, Stan Kissel and Ellen Nesbitt at the Institute for Advanced Manufacturing for your assistance in creating an optimal testing environment. Norsk Titanium also presented a monetary donation in support of the 2026 competition.

The team at AES Northeast also volunteers their time to plan and host this math competition as representatives of the Champlain Valley Chapter of MATHCOUNTS. For more than 30 years, AES Northeast has coordinated the MATHCOUNTS competition in our region. This year, staff members Melissa Dominy, David Gabrault and Erin Allison assisted fellow AES staff/MATHCOUNTS Coordinators Tanner Charland, Paul Ford and Sandy Young-Brady in ensuring the 2026 event went smoothly.

AES Northeast is a multidisciplinary engineering, architecture and survey firm committed to strengthening the communities we serve through innovation, education, and mentorship. By investing in MATHCOUNTS, AES Northeast helps cultivate the next generation of engineers, thinkers, and community leaders who will shape a stronger future for our region.