Summing Up Success: 2024 Abacus Bee Finals

APH’s Outreach Services team hosted close to 100 people in Louisville, KY on March 21-24 for a weekend of competition, comradery, and fun! Having placed as finalists in their respective states’ regional Abacus Bees, 29 blind or low vision students came from Florida, New Jersey, Maryland, Kentucky, Washington, and Iowa to compete in the 2024 National Abacus Bee Finals. While in Louisville, the students and their families participated in various activities, including an APH expo, workshops, and the Abacus Bee Finals competition, enjoying lots of math puns along the way — some of the kids were divided on whether the math puns were the best or the worst! All of this was made possible thanks to our sponsor, Simons Foundation.

“Expo”nential Ideas

The night before the competition, students and their families gathered for registration and the chance to meet other attendees at the APH expo event. At the expo they visited different interactive stations to learn about APH’s products and services. Some of the activities included the students trying out products like Snap Circuits, Code Jumper, and APH’s latest innovation – the Monarch. For many of the students, this was their first chance to learn about the Monarch and get their hands on this revolutionary device.

Other stations included InSights Art, APH ConnectCenter, and a giant tactile map of the United States that showed the path of totality for the upcoming solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. Each child received a set of tactile books about STEM and space gifted by NASA.

Participants also learned about APH’s new upcoming attraction – The Dot Experience. The students and their families were excited to learn about this new museum being built with accessibility at the forefront of every design choice. Several students had the chance to interact with some of the prototypes for The Dot Experience. The evening concluded with a dinner and a presentation by Mike Hudson, The Dot Experience Curatorial and Content Lead, about the history and future of APH.

Ready, Set, Math!

On Saturday, March 23, the students got to show off all their hard work and skill! The competition was broken down into five categories: starters, movers, riders, flyers, and blasters. This tiered approach ensured students were competing against their peers with similar skill levels, making the competition fun and encouraging for everyone. During the competition, students used various formats like print, braille, UEB math, or Nemeth code. This allowed them to use methods that suited their individual learning styles while still encouraging the use of mental math to unlock their full mathematical potential.

While the students were competing, their families participated in a workshop created specifically for them. Alicia Wolfe, Southeast Outreach Specialist; Melisa Mathews, Digital Content Manager APH FamilyConnect; and Joe Strechay, television and film producer, were guest speakers. One parent said, “The family workshop was amazing! I loved Melissa and Joe. They provided lots of information.” At the end of the day, the Outreach Services team rolled out the red carpet so the students and their families could enjoy a fun night of celebration at the awards ceremony, which included dinner and closing remarks from Joe Stretchay. All of the students had a great time and many of the parents concurred saying, “The look of joy and pride on each child’s face showed how much they enjoyed the event!”

Beyond Numbers

The abacus is a great tool for all students regardless of their level of vision. It is easily learned and implemented into a student’s education. To learn more, go to the APH Hive and enroll in our free course: The Abacus: A Million Manipulatives in Your Pocket. Does this sound like something a student you know would enjoy? Encourage them to join the excitement, boost their confidence, and let the APH Abacus Bee inspire their journey into the fascinating world of mathematics and beyond! Learn more about the Abacus Bee and its different events, or contact our Northcentral Region Outreach Specialist, Jennifer Brooks, at Jbrooks@aph.org for more info.