
2024 New Jersey Abacus Bee
October 27, 2024
Edison, New Jersey
A regional event of the APH Abacus Bee
Hosted by VISTAS Education Partners & National Federation of the Blind NJ

The 2024 New Jersey Regional APH Abacus Bee® was an amazing day filled with exciting Math contests and family-friendly activities!
It was a celebration of Math for blind and low vision kids of all backgrounds and skill levels. Each contestant was able to shine in their own way in leveled contest groups.
This year, the Rovers group was the most popular! This category is designed to introduce children to the Abacus Bee at a non-competitive level, allowing them to explore math in a fun, low-pressure setting.
Some of our Rovers used abacuses to perform calculations, while others used counting cubes or even clapped to count! It was great to see the various methods and tools each student used to approach the challenges.
After completing their Math challenges, the kids had a blast exploring 3D-printed games and activities, thanks to the incredible Ian Matty and his dedicated team from the Mountain Lakes Library Makerspace.
And the fun didn’t stop there! The event also had a Zumba break to get the kids moving and grooving after lots of brain work.
A huge congratulations to all the contestants for their hard work and dedication! We hope to see them back next year!
Rovers
Gold: Juniper Eisenberg
Silver: Connor Drummond
Bronze: Sophia Aguilera-Murphy
Participation: Mia Barone
Participation: Ryder Mondillo
Starters
Gold: Gael Lopez
Silver: Ireland Reynolds
Movers
Gold: Ryan Kennedy
Silver: Emma Marah
The New Jersey Abacus Bee was made possible through the generous support of the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) and our wonderful partnership with the National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey (NFBNJ).
Thanks to the team of volunteers who helped to make sure the event ran smoothly: Sandra Abuelyamin, Claribel Asare, Braden Flax, Ryleigh Guba, Julianna Matta, Brianna Murray, Rania Saad, George Stevens, and Kristen Witucki.
Want to know more about the Abacus Bee? Check out the APH webpage for information about the contest and how it works. Here’s an excerpt:
“The APH Abacus Bee is a fun and engaging competition designed to ignite a passion for mathematics in students who are blind or have low vision. By allowing the use of various formats like print, braille, UEB math, or Nemeth code, the competition ensures that participants can use methods that suit their individual learning styles. The APH Abacus Bee encourages the use of mental math and abacus skills, unlocking students’ full mathematical potential. The preliminary regional Abacus Bee events provide a platform for students to compete locally and showcase their skills within their communities.”
VISTAS Education Partners
P.O. Box 4214 Highland Park, NJ 08904 | 732-835-6672 | info@vistaseducation.com