Pallavi Shah has led yet another team from California to wins at the National Mathcounts Competition.   David Yang, a team member, won first place in the written competition and second place over all at the National MathCounts competition (www.mathcounts.org ) in Orlando, Florida.  The team won fourth place.    Pallavi won the right to coach and represent the California team when her team from Miller Middle school won first place at the California State MathCounts Competition (www.mathcounts-ca.org) held at the University of Pacific, Stockton in March 2009.    The California State team is made up of top four individuals in the state.  This year's team was made up of Kevin Lei from Miller Middle School, Lewis Chen and Michael Choi from Hopkins Junior High, and David Yang who is home-schooled and lives in Walnut.    Pallavi has represented California four times.  In 2003 the California team won 1st place in the nation. As a result Pallavi and her first place team were honored by President Bush in the Oval Office.  In 2004 the California team won 2nd place in the nation.  In 2005, the California team 3rd place in the nation. In 2005 one of her students placed third individually, and Pallavi was invited to the Oval Office again.   MATHCOUNTS® (www.mathcounts.org)  is a national math enrichment, coaching and competition program that promotes middle school mathematics achievement through grassroots involvement in every U.S. state and territory. With over 21 years experience, MATHCOUNTS is one of the most successful education partnerships involving volunteers, educators, industry sponsors, and students. After several months of coaching, participating schools select students to compete individually or as part of a team in one of the more than 500 written and oral competitions held nationwide and in U.S. schools overseas. Winners at the local level proceed to state competitions, where the top 4 Mathletes® and top coach earn the right to represent their state or territory at the national level. At all levels, MATHCOUNTS challenges students' math skills, develops their self-confidence and rewards them for their achievements.   In 2006, Pallavi launched Miller Math Marathon, a math competition based on the Mathcounts format, designed to encourage more students to participate in math competitions. This program has been very successful and has drawn about 300 students each year. This event is sponsored by the California Mathematics Council and Miller Middle School.       Pallavi currently teaches math and math enrichment at Joaquin Miller Middle School in Cupertino, California. She grew up in Mumbai, India.  After a Bachelors of Science in Child Development from University of Bombay, she came to the United States.  She received a Bachelor of Arts in Child Development and Teaching Credentials from San Jose State University. She is completing a Master's Degree in Education Leadership at St Mary's College in Moraga, CA.  She has taught in several schools and several subjects.  She has held several leadership roles in Math Association and has won numerous awards.   She currently lives with her husband Raj Shah, a software executive in San Jose.  They have a son Suneet and a daughter Mansi.