APH’s Abacus Bee Encourages STEM Success

A hand-held counting tool, the abacus uses lines of circular beads to represent numbers, moving the beads along rods or wires to perform calculations. Created long before the calculator, the abacus has been used for centuries by scientists and mathematicians on their journey to STEM careers, just as it is used by our contestants in this competition as they race towards their own future success.  

What is the Abacus Bee? 

The Abacus Bee is an annual competition that encourages the development of skills in mathematics for students who are blind or have low vision. The competition allows the use of various formats like large print, braille, UEB math, or Nemeth code, and ensures that participants can use methods that cater to their individual learning styles and abilities.  An understanding of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division is key for students to have a solid foundation in the skills necessary to launch a career in STEM. The Abacus Bee not only gives participants the opportunity to hone their skills but can open doors for them to see themselves as a scientist, a mathematician−someone who can succeed in the STEM field.  

The Abacus Bee is divided into two rounds: the regional competition and finals. This year, there were 10 regional events, with hopes to increase to 14 or even 15 regional competitions next year. The finals for the 2024-2025 Abacus Bee took place in Louisville, Kentucky on March 14th and 15th.  

The 2024-2025 Abacus Bee Finals 

The Abacus Bee finals take place over a two-day period, including both a day of fun and engaging activities for participants, followed by the day of the competition. This year, with the event falling on March 14th (3.14), also known as pi day, the entire day was set to celebrate! Contestants participated in a wide range of pi-centric activities like a ‘pi off,’ building ‘pi-scrapers’ with Lego braille bricks, a circumference measuring table, and more.  

The following day, contestants were split off into their five competition groups. The groups are based not on age or grade, but solely on skill level. These groups are starters, movers, riders, flyers, and blasters. This ensures all students participating in the event are competing at a level that matches their understanding. The day begins with 3-4 rounds of written math problems and continues in the afternoon with auditory questions. At the end of the event, winners are announced, and students get the opportunity to celebrate their success! 

Looking Forward 

This year, the Abacus Bee included a total of 129 student participants from 10 different states, and 31 finalists. The event has grown significantly since it began in 2022, when there were only two regional competitions. Looking forward, the Abacus Bee team plans to continue promoting the event with the hopes that even more students may be able to join the list of competitors. If you or your student is interested in participating, visit our website for information on how to prepare for next year! 

Celebrating Winners 

This year’s 2024-2025 Abacus Bee Finals Winners include the following.  

Starters 

First Place: Pyper 

Second Place: Bradley 

Third Place: Gabe 

Movers 

First Place: Fabian 

Second Place: Tian 

Third Place: Adam 

Riders 

First Place: Juliana 

Second Place: Mackenzie 

Third Place: Y. 

Flyers 

First Place: Kayla 

Second Place: Xia 

Third Place: Jordyn 

Blasters 

First Place: Luke 

Second Place: Salome 

Third Place: Dylan