Student Wins Big at Math Competition

Published September 29, 2011

A Ravenwood High School student is proving to be one of the top math students in the nation. Frances Ding recently won fifth place at the Math Prize for Girls Competition at MIT in Massachusetts.

The Ravenwood junior competed against 275 girls from middle and high schools across the United States and Canada. The competition offers the world's largest math prize for girls: first place carries a reward of $25,000, with another $23,000 divided among the remaining 10 finalists.

In order to be eligible, students had to earn a qualifying score on the American Mathematics Competition exam, the first in a series of math competitions that determines who makes it on the U.S. team for the International Mathematical Olympiad.

Frances' mother says she credits much of her daughter's success to the education she's received in Williamson County schools. "I am convinced that Tennessee can produce top math students as well as any other state," said Christine Yu. "I hope her success can be an inspiration to other students."