The Giants have earned another state championship banner — this time for academics!
The Marion High School Academic Giants toppled several other schools for the title of state champs at the Academic Super Bowl finals on May 4 at Purdue University. This is the first academic state championship the Giants have won.
Congratulations to team members Nathaniel Aguila, a senior, and Austin Ferren and Damien Martin, both juniors! And congratulations too to MHS math teacher Doug Porter, in his 29th year of coaching the math team for the Academic Super Bowl competitions.
Pictured are Academic Giants math team members Nathaniel Aguila, senior, and Austin Ferren, and Damien Martin, both juniors, with their Academic Super Bowl state championship banner and plaque.
“What these boys have accomplished is amazing!” Porter said. “Their cohesiveness over the past four months has grown, besides their knowledge and skills."
Academic Super Bowl invitationals consist of five subject matter rounds (English, science, social studies, mathematics, and fine arts) and a sixth interdisciplinary round. Each year a theme is selected, and questions at the competitions center around that topic. This year’s topic is “The 1980s and 1990s”. Teams can advance to the finals in each individual subject area, and they compete within divisions.
This is the first appearance for the Giants at math state finals since 2018, and seventh since 2006. Their previous highest placement was state runner-up in 2015.
We’re proud of these outstanding students and their impressive accomplishment, one for the history books!