National Math Stars (NMS) has selected a new cohort of 618 exceptional young students for its multi-year Voyager and Pathfinder Stars programs. National Math Stars Stars Programs provide ten years of support to students with 1-in-1000 math ability
HOUSTON, Aug. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- National Math Stars (NMS) has selected a new cohort of 618 exceptional young students for its multi-year Voyager and Pathfinder Stars programs. NMS supports high-performing math students beginning in second and third grades. The 2026 cohort is the first to consider applicants from Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama. Admitted learners from those states will join 378 returning Stars from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio, Texas, and Wisconsin.
NMS identifies students who demonstrate 1-in-1000 mathematical talent. Based on family need, NMS places admitted learners into one of two programs: Pathfinder Stars and Voyager Stars. The Pathfinder initiative, launched last year, connects them with rigorous coursework, personalized guidance, and peer-centered activities. The Voyager program, in operation since 2023, delivers more comprehensive support for learners from under-resourced backgrounds. Voyager provides financial assistance for camps, supplies, and educational services - support that totals more than $100,000 per student. Both programs benefit students over the course of ten years or through the end of high school.
The Pathfinder Stars initiative, launched last year, connects them with rigorous coursework, personalized guidance, and community. The Voyager Stars program, in operation since 2023, delivers more comprehensive support. In addition to guidance and community, Voyager provides financial assistance for summer camps, dedicated math mentoring, and STEM supplies and courses beyond math -- support that totals more than $100,000 per student. Both programs serve students for ten years, or through the end of high school.
"The 2026 cohort marks a milestone for us. The ten states we're drawing these Stars from represent one-fourth of the second- and third-graders in America. Each year, we reach a larger share of students who possess truly exceptional math abilities," said Ilana Walder-Biesanz, CEO of National Math Stars. "With this new cohort, we are supporting just shy of 1,000 Stars. These amazing students will shape the future of STEM research and innovation."
Applicants complete a multi-stage evaluation process that assesses each student's mathematical aptitude, eagerness for deeper STEM exploration, and the program's potential impact on their trajectory. While students are nominated to apply through teachers, schools, districts, or NMS partnerships with state DOEs, applications are open to all learners in active states who meet NMS criteria. Stars in the 2026 cohort were selected from a pool of nearly 9,000 applicants.
In January, NMS announced an expansion into three states in the American south: Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. NMS has also begun working directly with the state education agencies in Indiana and Alabama to broaden nominations in those states, building upon a successful collaboration with the Iowa Department of Education that kicked off in 2025.
About National Math Stars
Founded in 2023, National Math Stars is a nonprofit whose mission is to ensure mathematically extraordinary students from all communities have the resources they need to reach the frontiers of math and science. Learn more at www.nationalmathstars.org.
Media Contact
Heath Fradkoff, Ward 6 Marketing (for National Math Stars), 1 6174618177, [email protected], www.nationalmathstars.org
SOURCE National Math Stars
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