LAKEWOOD, Wash. – More than 800 eighth grade students will have the opportunity to learn how a variety of careers — including baseball — use math at Clover Park Technical College’s annual Math Conference Oct. 9.

Ben Spradling, director of communication and marketing for the Tacoma Rainiers, is one of 24 presenters participating in the event. Spradling will explain how numbers are used to evaluate player performance to students from Pierce County school districts.

With the theme “Math is What You Do,” the conference at CPTC’s Lakewood campus underlines the importance of mathematics in the real world.

“Math gives you confidence and it opens doors,” said Janet Holm, CPTC outreach coordinator.

The conference will highlight several of the college’s 43 programs and other guest presenters include Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Toray Composites, Washington State Patrol and Pierce County Public Works.

Nationally acclaimed speaker Dr. Arthur Benjamin will start the event by performing rapid mental calculations faster than a calculator. Rashad Norris, director of community engagement at Highline College, will also speak about the benefits of being involved in high school.

Following the keynote presentations, students will break out into small groups and visit four different career fields to learn how math skills are vital to a successful career with hands-on exercises, face-to-face interactions, and small group activities.

High school counselors will also be on site for the students to talk about the transition to high school.

The event starts at 9:30 a.m. in the McGavick Student Center and is sponsored by McDonald’s, BCE Engineers, Inc., and Brink & Sadler.