More than 1,000 middle and high school students from the Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools are gearing up to spend part of their weekend working on algebraic concepts, number sense and trigonometry.

The students will be competing in the district’s fourth annual Math Relays. The event will take place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16 at Wyandotte High School. Students from every high school and middle school in the district are registered to participate. An awards ceremony will close the relays at 2 p.m. where top students will receive medals, and 10 students will be inducted into the Math Relays Hall of Fame.

Participation in the event continues to grow each year. In 2005, 450 students competed, and in 2006, 650 students competed.

According to Math Relays coordinator Cecil Christwell, the thrill of competition is what brings students to the event.

“Kids are always competitive,” Christwell said. “If they know there is going to be a competitive atmosphere, they always try their best.”