Mini-grants for Colorado AMC8 Testing Sites that Primarily Serve Rural Students and Students of Color
Since its founding in 1996, Colorado Mathematics Awards has recognized outstanding performance in national and international mathematics competitions and contests by Colorado middle school, high school, and undergraduate college students. CMA’s founding sponsors include the Colorado Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the Mathematical Association of America—Rocky Mountain Section, Colorado MATHCOUNTS, and the Colorado Department of Education.
In addition to hosting an annual reception and awards programs for top math students in Colorado, CMA has recently adopted a goal of increasing opportunities for rural and historically underserved students to prepare for, and participate in, such mathematics competitions.
Each year since 1985, thousands of students across the country voluntarily take a 25-question, 40-minute multiple-choice exam in middle school mathematics offered by American Mathematics Competitions, a program of the Mathematical Association of America. The AMC 8 exam, open to any student in grade 8 or below, is designed to develop students’ problem- solving skills and interest in mathematics.
The AMC 8 exam is hosted locally by educational organizations with physical premises for on-site test-taking, including schools, colleges and universities, learning centers, and math circles. For this school year, the exam can be given anytime during the 7-day period, January 18-24 (Thursday – Wednesday). Top students in the AMC 8 exam and other national math contests will be honored at a reception and awards program at the University of Denver on Tuesday, May 7 th , 2024.
The AMC 8 website describes the exam in more detail, and provides registration information, a teacher’s manual, and other resources for hosting the AMC 8 exam. The registration fee per sites $73 until December 18 th , then $113 until Jan. 11th; bundles of 10 student exams are $25 each; practice questions, videos, math club resources, etc. are also available for purchase from the AMC.
To encourage greater participation in the AMC 8 exam by middle schools or other testing sites that primarily serve rural, black, or indigenous students and/or students of color, CMA is offering a limited number of $250 grants to help defray the costs of registration and other resources for teachers and students. These grants are partially funded by Equity Learning, a nonprofit organization founded by Colorado students, committed to building opportunities, bolstering communities, and bridging gaps for youth and beyond. Preference will be given to those schools and testing sites that have not administered the AMC 8 exam before.
Applications will be reviewed and notified on a weekly basis. Once your grant application is accepted by CMA, register with AMC 8 and include payment of your registration ($73) plus bundles of 10 student tests at $25 per bundle. Then send proof of payment to Dr. David Carlson, CMA Co-Founder and Co-Chair, at
[email protected], and CMA will send your school or organization a check for $250 ($275 if you ordered more than one bundle of 10 student tests).
To learn more about Colorado Math Awards and the AMC 8 exam grant offer, visit the new CMA website at coloradomathawards.org. To apply for a mini-grant, click on Application form for the AMC 8 exam mini-grant. Applying early increases the likelihood of receiving a grant and gives students more time to prepare for this challenging contest.