Harvest Prep's Math Team makes history and Advances in an INTERNATIONAL Math Competition!

 

Meet the 2025 M3 TEAM 17483 from Harvest Preparatory School in Canal Winchester Ohio.

Math Coach Ed Temple was shocked when he read in his email, "The first round of judging is complete, and we are pleased to inform you that your team will advance to the second round and remain a contender for a team prize of between $1,000 and $20,000. Congratulations!" 

From the Math Works Math Modeling Challenge (M3) Website

"MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge is an entirely internet-based math modeling competition with no registration or participation fees. Schools in the U.S., England, and Wales can enter teams of three to five students. Over $1.95 million has been awarded through 2024."

 The competitors get 14 hours to complete 3 questions and have to submit a paper with models and explanations for their models with no more than 20 typed pages.  They must have citations for their work and an executive summary included with the paper.  This year, teams were allowed to use AI to assist with their answers for the first time 

Only 148 of the 794 teams that submitted viable solution papers – less than 20% – were selected to advance to the second round of judging. We expect that round to be completed on March 26, and we will notify teams of their status shortly thereafter.  

Six Finalist teams and the three Technical Computing Award teams will be invited to present their papers at the validation round of judging on Monday, April 28 in New York, New York. Other teams advancing to the second round may be designated semi-finalists, honorable mention, or receive no further recognition.  

No Harvest Preparatory School Math Team has ever advanced this far, even though some previous teams have featured current students in some of America's top schools.  Harvest Prep had a record 5 teams entered this year.  In the past, only 2 teams were allowed to enter per school.  

The math coaches, Mr. Temple, and Mr. Hughes believed he had a fighting chance this year with a mixture of teams with experience on each team.  The fact that 25 students were willing to join a competition that no HPS team had ever won in this 14-hour competition, was already mind-boggling to the coaches.  Each team featured at least one team member with experience from the previous year.  

Ironically, the team that won was the team the coaches felt 3 other teams had a better shot, based on the style of attacking the challenge.  The team that won, TEAM 17483, was the group caught dancing, recording TicTok videos, and taking numerous breaks instead of just working on the problems.  Team 17483 was also done far before three other teams, finished with hours left.  The group went from having aggravated coaches to becoming, in some ways, the possible template for future teams.  

AI was for the first time allowed to be used for this competition in a limited way, and the use of AI is the future, like it or not. 

Students pictured:  Mo'Nae Gamble, captain Leelah Jacobs, Nana Acheampong, 2nd-year participant Tabrina Aidoo, and Stephen Otoo. 

Harvest Preparatory School is a private school located in Canal Winchester, Ohio.  The school is affiliated with the World Harvest Church and was founded by Dr. Pastor Rod Parsley.  Currently, Andrew Mills is the Head of the Upper School.  

If Team 17483 wins in the next round, they will present their solutions in New York for a chance to win thousands of dollars.  

• Champion: $20,000 team award
• Runner Up: $15,000 team award
• Third Place: $10,000 team award
• Finalist (three teams): $5,000 team award

Good luck, Harvest Prep.