Liuzzi's submission was titled Reading Larry Levis, Northbound, a reflection about leaving home and returning.

Abington resident Sarah Hill, also a senior at Abington Friends, earned second place for her poem, A Rainbow to Remember, which explores the themes of forgiveness.

Third place went to Katie Miller, a senior at Abington Senior High School. She submitted Illegitimi Non Carborundum, which examines childhood experiences.

Students received gift cards to Barnes & Noble and certificates of recognition, and their poems will be published in Gwynedd-Mercy's literary magazine, the Griffin, in September.

This year's contest drew entries from 22 students in six Montgomery County high schools.

About 40 students from Robotics Team 341 at Wissahickon High School in Ambler won the championship at the Philadelphia Regional FIRST Robotics Competition last month at Drexel University. Forty-four teams competed.

Wissahickon, led by physics teacher Al Ostrow, also received the Regional Chairman's Award, given to the group that best exemplifies a model team. Teams prepare a written entry in February, and then interview with judges over two days at the competition. The award is given to the team deemed the best model both in competition and in community service.

Both the award and the championship qualified Wissahickon for the International FIRST Robotics Competition Championship, scheduled for Thursday to Saturday in Atlanta.

To learn more, visit www.team341.com.

Eighth grader Anderson Wang, of Wissahickon Middle School in Ambler, earned the title of state champion during the Pennsylvania State MATHCOUNTS competition last month in Harrisburg.

Jeremy Bierema, of Glenside, an eighth grader at Philadelphia-Montgomery Christian Academy in Erdenheim, placed third. Bryan Cai, of Bryn Mawr, a seventh grader from Radnor Middle School, was fourth.

The three students, along with one from Pittsburgh who finished second, will form the Pennsylvania team at the National MATHCOUNTS competition, scheduled for May 8 to 11 in Denver.

The MATHCOUNTS program, for sixth, seventh and eighth graders, promotes mathematics through coaching and competitions.

Penn State Abington's annual student art exhibition, which includes sculptures, paintings, drawings, ceramics and digital photography, is open to the public through April 23.

The exhibit is in the library of the Woodland Building on campus, 1600 Woodland Rd., Abington. Also, a public reception is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday.

The art show is open during library hours. For hours, and more information, call 215-881-7424 or visit www.libraries.psu.edu/abington/about.htm.

Through May, more than 6,000 Montgomery County students from public and private schools are taking part in the 10th annual Reading Olympics, sponsored by the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit.

Students collaborated with teammates to read 40 to 50 books that had been selected by a committee of local librarians, reading specialists and teachers. All participants are awarded ribbons. For more information, visit www.mciu.org.

Prospective students can meet with faculty and students, tour the campus and discuss academic programs during an open house at Gwynedd-Mercy College at 9:45 a.m. Saturday.

The day will include a luncheon in the school's gymnasium, in the Griffin Complex. Students may register by e-mailing admissions@gmc.edu or calling 1-800-342-5462. Walk-ins on Saturday also will be welcome.

The college is at 1325 Sumneytown Pike, Gwynedd Valley.

- Erica Lamberg