A Huntington eighth grader will travel to New York City this month to compete in the NBA Math Hoops Global Championship, where he will represent Indiana’s professional basketball teams, a news release said.
Ananiel Thamsanqa participated in NBA Math Hoops through the Boys and Girls Clubs of Huntington County.
Designed for grades four through eight, the learning experience uses basketball and the NBA and WNBA brands to build fundamental math skills. Components include physical and digital basketball-themed games, real-life performance statistics, classroom curriculum and community events, the release said.
Thamsanqa demonstrated excellence, earned All-Star Student status for outstanding sportsmanship, completed at least 25 games and finished 10 curriculum lessons during the 2025-26 season, the release said.
The championship is scheduled from June 22 to 25.
“Ananiel’s dedication, sportsmanship and commitment to learning embody what NBA Math Hoops is all about,” Erin Bess, executive director of the Pacers Foundation, said in a statement. “We’re proud to see him represent the Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever on a global stage and inspire students across our state through the power of STEM and sport.”
STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and math.
Ashley Allen, the Huntington clubs’ CEO, expressed similar enthusiasm about Thamsanqa’s selection.
“Opportunities like NBA Math Hoops show young people that academics, critical thinking and teamwork can open doors to incredible experiences,” she said in a statement. “We are excited to see Ananiel represent our club on a global stage.”
This was the clubs’ first year participating in the program. Coach Alan Smith, of Huntington’s Boys and Girls Clubs, was named NBA Math Hoops Outstanding Educator for the 2026 season, the release said.
Schools and youth-serving nonprofits can receive free resources to offer the program by contacting foundation@pacers.com.
All-Stars
Forty Indiana high school seniors – including Shamyant Boda of Homestead High School, Rorick Quinto of Bishop Dwenger High School and Noah Tropp of Lakeland Junior-Senior High School – were named 2026 Indiana Academic All-Stars, a program of the Indiana Association of School Principals.
Hayden Alfeld of Bluffton High School, Coltin Bucher of Wawasee High School, Kathryn Crook of Concordia Lutheran High School, Amanda Heck of Canterbury School, Porter Johnson of Carroll High School and Jordan Taylor of Angola High School were among those recognized as Regional Academic All-Stars.
Each high school was allowed one nominee. Selection was based on coursework rigor, standardized test scores, extracurricular involvement and community leadership.
EACS
New Haven Junior-Senior High School last month received free shoes for its entire staff through the Kindness Wins campaign by Dearfoams, a shoe company.
MidWest America Federal Credit Union officials last month presented a $35,000 check to East Allen Career Center staff and students in support of the aviation maintenance program starting next academic year. The money will help the school buy equipment.
FWCS
The Fort Wayne Community Schools board honored Wayne High School student-athlete Story Gaines for being selected to serve on the Indiana High School Athletic Association Student Advisory Committee next academic year.
FWCS on May 6 honored 94 retirees who dedicated nearly 2,200 combined years of service. The following employees worked at the district for at least 40 years: Keith Scott, case manager, Arlington Elementary, 45 years; Jack Byrd, chief systems officer, 41 years; Michael Flotow, printing services, 41 years; Lorraine Sumner, multilingual learner teacher, Lincoln Elementary, 40 years; and Michael Smith, physical education teacher, Levan Scott Academy, 40 years.
Grace
Grace College students Luis Loera-Arambula of Goshen and Luke Nier of Warsaw were awarded $7,000 at the 14th annual Grace College Business Plan Competition in April. Their business, L&L Pressure Washing Co., won first place. The team plans to use the money to fund accounting and payroll software, insurance, print marketing and equipment upgrades.
Indiana Tech
Braydan Fishel, who will be a senior at Indiana Tech, was selected for a study abroad program to Greece through the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity. The Tragos Quest to Greece program is a 10-day journey with undergraduate members of Sigma Phi Epsilon from across the country, accompanied by alumni mentors and university faculty.
The Ball Venture Fund last month awarded Indiana Tech a $25,000 grant for an artificial intelligence pilot program. The grant will fund an AI cybersecurity and innovation clinic pilot, which will be developed and delivered by the Talwar College of Engineering and Computer Sciences. The goal is to bridge the technical gap of AI adoption and address cybersecurity vulnerabilities through a three-pronged model of support. The pilot is expected to launch next spring.
Manchester
The Manchester University master’s program in nutrition and dietetics has earned full accreditation through 2033 from the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics. This allows the program to expand enrollment to 30 students per cohort from 15 students, making it the largest graduate nutrition program in Indiana. It is also the only nutrigenomics-focused program in the country. Nutrigenomics is the study of the effects of food and nutrients on gene expression.
NACS
The Northwest Allen County Schools board on May 18 recognized Reese Streicher for winning the regional pitch challenge at Trine University with her business, Reese Olivia Creative. She received $1,000 toward her business and will compete Friday at the state competition at Butler University, where she could win $25,000.
The NACS board recognized Rachael Turney as the Ivy Tech New Ventures High School Pitch Contest winner. She pitched Rachael’s Tutoring.
The NACS board honored Carroll High School teacher Michelle Sirois for receiving the President’s Dual Credit Award from Ivy Tech. This means she is eligible to be considered for the statewide Dual Credit Award for Excellence in Instruction, presented annually to the dual credit instructor who best exemplifies excellence in instruction and the mission of Ivy Tech.
Northwest State
Northwest State Community College student Brady Clark of Defiance, Ohio, was named to the 2025-26 All-Ohio Academic Team.
Scholarships
Law firm Meyer Wilson Werning is accepting applications through Sept. 15 for its Cryptocurrency Fraud Awareness Scholarship, a $2,500 award designed to encourage students to think critically about the rise in crypto-related scams and propose solutions to protect families and communities. Go to https://investorclaims.com/scholarship for information.
The Allen County Bar Foundation will accept applications for the Legal Opportunity Scholarship through June 30. The scholarship will provide up to $2,500 to a law student for tuition and fees or for bar exam preparation and up to $1,500 for an undergraduate student preparing to take the Law School Admissions Test. Go to www.allencountybar.org for the application.
Warsaw
The Warsaw Community High School concert band and wind ensemble earned top honors at the Indiana State School Music Association Organizational Festival. Each group earned a Gold with Distinction rating on its prepared music and a Gold rating in sight reading.
Whitley
The following Columbia City High School students earned awards from the Woman’s Press Club of Indiana: Endra Ward, Gemma Platz, Kylah Hockemeyer and Quentin Dennis.