4th-12th Graders Celebrate Love for Math, Dazzle at McCormick Place
CHICAGO, May 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — More than 650 of the brightest young mathematicians from across the U.S. and Canada gathered at McCormick Place on May 10 for the highly anticipated 2025 MathCON Finals—an annual celebration of mathematics and critical thinking.
Hosted by MathCON, a nationally recognized mathematics enrichment program, the event brought together top finalists from a pool of over 33,000 participants who competed in regional rounds earlier this year. Students qualified by scoring in the top percentile and faced a grueling 100-minute test requiring them to solve 32 complex equations without a calculator.
“This was one of the most special MathCON events I have ever been a part of,” said MathCON Program Director Nik Hallberg. “Between the competitions, guest appearances and bonding in between events, the energy here today was incredible. I’m so proud of the kids. They raise the standard for excellence every year.”
Among the many standout students was Michael Vanden Berg from Gateway Science Academy – St. Louis, who returned to the finals for a second year. “Last year, Michael told me, ‘I found my people here,'” his father said. “This is a place where other kids go who enjoy math for fun the way he does.”
This year’s national champions by grade level included:
12th Grade: Sanjay Ravishankar, California
11th Grade: Aryan Raj, Virginia
10th Grade: Raghav Arun, North Carolina
9th Grade: Christopher Sakaliyski, Illinois
8th Grade: Kenneth Sun, Massachusetts
7th Grade: Rishabh Rajesh, Illinois
6th Grade: Hudson Jones, North Carolina
5th Grade: Naveen Chenicheri, Washington
4th Grade: Andy Liu, North Carolina
In addition to the final test, MathCON attendees engaged in a variety of interactive and family-friendly activities, including the popular Rubik’s Cube Challenge, the parent-student Game 24 competition, and performances by the Jesse White Tumblers and mathemagician Sidney Friedman.
One highlight of the event was a keynote by Po-Shen Loh, Carnegie Mellon University professor and renowned math educator, who emphasized the lifelong value of mathematical thinking. “That’s the value of math contests like MathCON—being able to solve problems we aren’t used to being able to solve,” Loh said.
The MathCON Finals also served as a reunion for many returning students and families. Holly Speranza, a ninth grader from Rhode Island, attended her fourth MathCON event this year. “It’s just fun being around people who have the same interests as me,” she said.
As excitement around math grows, so does interest in MathCON’s year-round programming. Registration is now open for MathCON Summer Camp, taking place in Chicago this June.
For more information about MathCON and upcoming opportunities, visit www.mathcon.org.
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SOURCE MathCON
