Amongst cheers and proud smiles, the first IDEA MATH AMC 123 winter program came to an end. More than sixty students of varying age participated in the 2008 program. While most were from the San Francisco Bay Area, we also welcomed participants from Southern California and from as far as Texas. Students benefited from the lectures and the team contests, Improving mathematical intuition, Developing critical thinking abilities, Expanding understanding of mathematical process, Assembling problem solving techniques.

We owe this year's success to the dedication of the instructors, teaching assistants, and parents volunteers who worked tirelessly to ensure that the program ran smoothly. We would also like to thank all the students for their enthusiasm, creativity, hardwork, and reassuring smiles.

Comments from the participants:

"Thank you for establishing a program here in the Bay Area! It was the best treat ever for my winter break. I have been looking for an opportunity like this for many years, and I finally found it. Thank you."

"I really enjoyed the program, and I think it has definitely sharpened my problem-solving skills and my study habits."

"I enjoyed the team contest, and I liked the sessions where we learned theory through solving problems rather then lectures."

"This was my first time at an academic camp and my first time doing much contest math. I want to reemphasize the personal evaluation above: this camp was run well (in most ways), and it really made me enjoy and appreciate math much more. I would definitely attend more IDEA MATH programs if given the opportunity."