Learn about our families' journey to National Math Stars and the amazing things they've accomplished!
Trinity Rihner, 2025 Iowa Voyager Cohort
At the beginning of the Harry Potter book series, Harry discovers he is a wizard only when a mysterious letter is delivered to his home. Something similar happened to Trinity Rihner. Trinity, now 10 and entering fifth grade in Denison, Iowa, had always done well in school. Her grades were high, she’d been placed in her school’s Extended Learning Program, and she breezed through her classwork.
Aakanksha Balaji, 2025 Michigan Pathfinder Cohort
With a rich cultural history that goes back thousands of years, Indian Classical Dance is known for its expressive movement, precise footwork, and geometric poses. Trained dancers are able to tell entire stories and convey complex ideas all within a single, finely tuned routine.
Jack, 2025 Ohio Pathfinder Cohort
Last year, on a bright September afternoon, Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson gazed across his chessboard at Jack Hanneken, an elementary school student, considering what his next move should be. “You stumped him for a little bit,” mom Julia Hanneken tells her son, recalling the game.
Lee Huynh, 2025 Texas Pathfinder Cohort
Among all National Math Stars, it’s safe to assume that Lee Huynh has the fastest punch.
A 10-year-old fourth grader from Fort Worth, Texas, Lee has been in karate training for two years and holds a blue belt. He recently won two gold medals at a karate tournament, both in reaction-time events: fastest punch and fastest kick.
Patrick Parkhurst, 2024 Texas Voyager Cohort
The ninjas of feudal Japan bear little resemblance to the black-clad action heroes from today’s film and TV. Referred to as ”shinobi” in their time, they were more spy than assassin; solving problems with wit, stealth, determination, and athletic prowess.
Albertini Adenuga, 2025 Minnesota Voyager Cohort
The Minnesota Vikings didn’t make the playoffs last season, but Albertini Adenuga didn’t mind. He still had a blast cheering on the team and spending time with his friends. However, finding kids to cheer with—kids who really understood him—didn’t always come so naturally. As any National Math Star will tell you, sometimes it’s hard being the smart kid.
As a parent, it becomes challenging when you have a child who’s thirsty for more. Before we found out about this program, we were not able to feed that. That has changed.
