The Lead.

A dozen area high school students earned $18,000 in scholarships at the 14^th annual OSU MTC Marion Math Challenge on the Marion Campus on Dec. 12. A total of 107 students from six high schools vied for the top scores.  

Students from Elgin, Harding, Highland, North Union, Pleasant, and North Union high schools took part.

“These students have demonstrated remarkable ability and commitment in mathematics,” said Dr. Ryan McCall, president of Marion Technical College. “Seeing this level of achievement so early is inspiring and speaks to the strong foundation they are building. Mathematical skills are essential across nearly every field, and we are excited to watch these students continue to develop and succeed.”

“Congratulations to area students who took part in today’s math challenge. Math skills give students stronger problem-solving habits by teaching them to analyze, reason, and break down complex ideas, while also building the confidence needed to succeed in quantitative college classes that rely on data and statistics,” said Ohio State Marion Dean and Director, Dr. Jennifer Schlueter.

Scholarships

First-place winners in each grade earned a $1,000 scholarship to both colleges. Second-place winners received $750 scholarships from each college, and third-place winners were awarded $500 scholarships from both Ohio State Marion and Marion Tech.

9^th Grade

1^st Place – Liam Cahall, Highland

2^nd Place – Oliver Schmelzer, Pleasant

3^rd Place – Oliver Gaffney, Harding

10^th Grade

1^st Place- Lane Johnson, Pleasant

2^nd Place – Nevin Zerby, Highland

3^rd Place – Wyatt Roby, North Union

11th Grade

1^st Place- Josiah Kramp, Pleasant

2^nd Place – Avery Poling, North Union

3^rd Place – Matt Murphy, Pleasant

12th Grade

1^st Place – Carter Glick, North Union

2^nd Place – Reagan Tway, Harding

3^rd Place – Jacob Gasmire, River Valley

Winning Teams

Top-performing schools were also recognized based on the combined scores of their highest-ranking students. Each team’s members received medals, and their schools were awarded trophies.

1^st Place: North Union

Team members starting with the highest scores: Evey Cobb, Wyatt Roby, Luke Taylor, Sarah Roby, Avery Poling, and Carter Glick. 

 

2^nd Place: Pleasant

Team Members: Oliver Schmelzer, Brady Werling, Luke Russell, Lane Johnson, Matt Murphy, and Josiah Kramp.

3^rd Place North Union Team #2

Team Members: Rylee Horne, Katelyn Zimmerman, Kailin McElroy, Leila Hamilton, Felix Plouck, and Rebecca Zimmerman

"Employers across industries—from healthcare to business to technology—value people who can interpret data, spot patterns, and make logical decisions. Access to high-growth fields, such as careers in engineering, finance, computer science, architecture, and research, all rely heavily on math,” she added, “giving students a competitive edge in an increasingly data-driven world.  Ohio State Marion is here to support you in strengthening these skills and moving students on to successful future careers,” Dean Schlueter.

Event Organizers

The event is made possible each year by a dedicated team that designs, coordinates, and scores the competition:

• Micah Chrisman, Assistant Professor of Mathematics, Ohio State Marion
• Brian McEnnis, Professor Emeritus of Mathematics, Ohio State Marion
• David Gorenflo, retired Tech Prep Consultant, Marion Tech
• Tyler Maley, Director of Mathematics, Marion Tech
• Sally O’Connor, former Adjunct Faculty, Marion Tech
• Jackie Potts, Instructor of Mathematics, Marion Tech
• Thomas Smith III, Mathematics Faculty, Marion Tech
• Scott Zimmerman, Assistant Professor of Mathematics, Ohio State Marion

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