Logan should know--he has just returned from an international math contest in Hong Kong. Last month, he was part of a team of four students from the Bay Area that represented the United States in the ninth Po Leung Kuk Primary Math World Contest. The competition in Hong Kong drew teams from 43 countries including Australia, Bulgaria, Macau and India. The "by-invitation only" contest is for students under the age of 14.

Despite the formidable competition, Logan and his teammates finished in third place in a group competition. The team also won the fourth-place trophy in another team event.

Ewa Garg, who has been coaching the Redwood math team for four years, chose and prepared the team for the event.

"Sixty-one children from 25 schools in the Bay Area took part in the qualifying test in April," Garg said. She selected four--Felix Sung of Miller Middle School in San Jose, Alex Chang of Menlo School in Atherton, Akash Gupta of Chaboya Middle School in San Jose and Logan.

"This is the first time that a team from California took part in the primary math world contest," she said. Garg indicated that the Bay Area students had been invited because of some good performances in state level championships. She said that problem-solving contests help the young in reasoning and logical thinking.

The event was much more than just a math contest, though. "We went to an amusement park in Hong Kong. That was the most fun thing we did," Logan said.

Jennifer Short, Logan's mother, is delighted that her son took part in an international math contest. "We were in Hong Kong for the event and cheered for every team," she said.