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Local middle school students win $13,500 in scholarships at Math Challenge

Pictured above is 1st place Math Challenge team Pleasant Middle School - Team members include: Josiah Kramp, Brady Werling, Matt Murphy, Niluh Squires, Oliver Schmelzer and Jayse Kitts.           


Middle school students from five area schools came to the Marion campus to test their math prowess in the Annual Math Challenge, hosted by The Ohio State University at Marion and Marion Technical College. The top math students from 145 competitors were awarded a total of $13,500 in scholarships to these colleges. 

“It is a pleasure to reward these bright students for their success,” said Dr. Ryan McCall, President of Marion Technical College. “From business to engineering to industry to national security, these skills benefit our country and our world.”

“Ohio State Marion is pleased to co-host this annual event with Marion Technical College,” said Ohio State Marion Dean and Director Gregory S. Rose. “Math is fundamental to science and engineering, as well as to general education.  It is heartening to see through the Challenge both the interest in math among area middle school students and the skills they displayed.”

SCHOLARSHIPS

First place winners in each grade received $1,000 scholarship to both institutions.  Second place winners in each grade earned a $750 scholarship from both colleges. Third place winners in each grade earned $500 scholarships from both Marion Tech and Ohio State Marion. Students from Elgin, Highland, North Union, Pleasant and Ridgedale.

6th Grade
1st Place: Lily Hall, North Union Middle School (right)
2nd  Place: Liam Cahall, Highland Middle School (left)   
3rd Place: Oliver Schmelzer, Pleasant Middle School (center)

7th Grade
1st Place: Nevin Zerby, Highland Middle School (right)
2nd Place: Wyatt Roby, North Union Middle School (center)
3rd Place: Jayse Kitts, Pleasant Middle School (left)

8th Grade
1st Place: Josiah Kramp, Pleasant Middle School (left)
2nd Place: Avery Poling, North Union Middle School (center)
3rd Place: Matt Murphy, Pleasant Middle School (right)

TEAM WINNERS
These include the top scorers from each school from all grades. They received individual medals and the school received a trophy.

1st Place: Pleasant Middle School
Team members include: Josiah Kramp, Brady Werling, Matt Murphy, Niluh Squires, Oliver Schmelzer and Jayse Kitts.           

2nd Place: North Union Middle School
Team members include: Avery Poling, Wyatt Roby, Lily Hall, Luke Taylor, Rylee Horne and Kate Zimmerman.

3rd Place: Highland Middle School
Team members include: Nevin Zerby, Liam Cahall, Jett Black, Kailyn Hunter, Caiden Daugherty and Tycho Arnett-Tomasek.

In addition to congratulating the participants and the winners, MTC and Ohio State Marion would like to thank the following area businesses for their donations supporting the Math Challenge.

  • Wm. Kay Davis and Evelyn E. Walter Foundations for providing all trophies and awards
  • Pearson for generously donating the testing codes to support this competition
  • Buckeye Backers for helping prepare the certificates

Committee members who work organize the event, write the test, calculate the winners, prepare practice tests, and assign rooms include: David Gorenflo, retired Tech Prep Consultant for Marion Tech; Tyler Maley, Director of Mathematics at Marion Tech; Micah Chrisman, Assistant Professor of Mathematics for Ohio State Marion; Scott Zimmerman, Assistant Professor of Mathematics for Ohio State Marion; Katie McCormack, Instructor of Mathematics for Marion Tech; Jackie Potts, Instructor of Mathematics for Marion Tech; Brian McEnnis, Professor Emeritus of Mathematics at Ohio State Marion; and Sally O’Connor, Adjunct Faculty of Marion Tech.