Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Students from Warsaw Community High School (WCHS) recently took on a complex, real-world issue as part of the MathWorks Math Modeling (M3) Challenge, an international competition hosted by the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.
During the 14-hour competition, students worked in teams to analyze the rapid rise of online sports gambling and its financial and societal impacts. The challenge required students to use mathematical modeling, data analysis and critical thinking to propose solutions to a growing global issue, according to a news release from Warsaw Community Schools (WCS).
Teams from WCHS participating were:
• Team 1: Addison Brown, Alex Eberstein, Daniel Jamison, Emilia Samaranayake, Treysan Gochenour.
• Team 2: Ted Grandon, Preston Park, Charlie Norton, Griffin Williman, Luke Smith.
• Team 3: Bronwyn Poch, Titiksha Gorhe, Audrie Winey.
Teams were coached by Amanda Taylor, Chuck Wiebe and Barb McCollom.
Students were tasked with answering questions such as: Should society be concerned about the growth of online sports gambling? How much money is lost annually to sports gambling in the U.S. and U.K.? What level of spending becomes financially risky for individuals?
Participants had just 14 hours to research, analyze data, build mathematical models and submit a comprehensive solution. Out of 770 teams and more than 3,400 students from across the United States and United Kingdom, one WCHS team (Bronwyn Poch, Titiksha Gorhe and Audrie Winey) advanced to the second round of judging. Fewer than 20 percent of teams qualified for this distinction.
The M3 Challenge, a program of SIAM, is designed to inspire students to pursue careers in applied mathematics, data science and computational fields while engaging with meaningful, real-world problems.
This year’s focus on online sports betting reflects a rapidly growing industry that generates billions in revenue while also raising concerns about accessibility, financial risk and long-term societal impact.
The release states, “Warsaw Community Schools is proud of these students for their dedication, collaboration and representation of WCHS on an international stage.”
