MPH In The News
MPH Math Team Ranks Among the Best in the World for 2026
March 2026 – Manlius Pebble Hill middle schoolers are competing on a global stage – and winning. The MPH Math Team recently took on the AMC 8, an annual 25-question competition sponsored by the Mathematical Association of America and one of the toughest math contests in the world, with over 80,000 students from more than 30 countries participating.
Sixth grader Ryan Choudhury earned 23 out of 25 correct answers, placing him in the top 5% of competitors worldwide, joined by teammate Finn Brown. Seventh grader PJ Hay finished in the top 25% globally. Because of the team’s outstanding results, MPH was awarded a Certificate of Merit.
Coach Julia Gruenewald credits the students’ success to their fearlessness and the strong relationships she builds with them. “Relationship comes first before content,” she said – and that approach is clearly paying off.
MPH and Cornell Partnership Allow Students Listen to Brain Waves Live in the Classroom
February 2026 – At Manlius Pebble Hill School, students aren’t just reading about neuroscience – they’re experiencing firsthand. In a computer tech class taught by teacher Gus Lott, students are using locally developed technology to measure and listen to the neural activity, including earthworms, crickets, flies, and crayfish. The technology, developed right here in Central New York, connects animals to an electrical circuit board with amplifiers that send brain wave data to a laptop in real time.
The hands-on experience gives students a window into how the brain functions – and what makes it even more special is that this innovation started at MPH. “We’re the school that started it,” said Lola Zinkievich. “That’s pretty cool.”
Lott sees the project as a way to push the boundaries of science education and demonstrate how experiential learning can change the way students engage with complex topics.
MPH Student Named a 2020 U.S. Presidential Scholar
Manlius Pebble Hill School is proud to celebrate Olivia Bigtree, ’20, who was named a 2020 U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. Olivia was one of just 161 students nationwide – selected from more than 5,300 candidates and 3.6 million high school graduates – to receive this prestigious honor, which recognizes exceptional achievements in academics, the arts, and career and technical education.
The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program, created in 1964, is one of the nation’s highest honors for high school students. Scholars are selected based on academic success, artistic excellence, essays, school evaluations, and demonstrated commitment to community service and leadership.
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