Three state bests and a title defender - the "math whizzes" of primary schools in the Oberberg district are honored Three award winners also achieved TOP places at the state level.

Oberberg District. No one could have expected these outstanding results: The State Mathematics Competition has also revealed extraordinary talents among all five winning children from the Oberberg district. Levi Koch from FCBG Peisel (Gummersbach) became a title defender for the first time. Last year, as a third-grader, he achieved the best result at the district level and successfully defended his title in this school year.
Matteo Nunez-Kreische (GVB Wiehl), Nikolaj Stefanovski (GSV St. Antonius, Wipperfürth); Tim Unruh (GGS Nümbrecht) and Simon Wittmer (GGS Wiedenest, Bergneustadt) are also among the best primary school students in the Oberberg district. The level of this year's competition in the Oberberg district was exceptionally high. Levi Koch, with his score, achieved 2nd place at the state level, Matteo Nunez-Kreische secured 3rd place, and Nikolaj Stefanovski ranked 4th.

Freuen sich über die außergewöhnlichen Leistungen im Mathematikwettbewerb 2025/2026 (v. l.): die stellvertretende Landrätin Heidrun Schmeis-Noack; Tim Dörpinghaus, Schulleiter der OGS Lindlar-Ost; Matthias Greven, Schulleiter der GGS Wiedenest; Schulrat Reiner Pfesdorf sowie die Viertklässler Simon Wittmer, GGS Wiedenest; Levi Koch, FCBG Peisel/ Gummersbach; Matteo Nunez-Kreische, GVB Wiehl; Tim Unruh, GGS Nümbrecht und Nikolaj Stefanovski; GSV St. Antonius/Wipperfürth. (Foto: OBK) — Celebrating the extraordinary achievements in the mathematics competition 2025/2026 (from left): Deputy District Administrator Heidrun Schmeis-Noack; Tim Dörpinghaus, Principal of OGS Lindlar-Ost; Matthias Greven, Principal of GGS Wiedenest; School Inspector Reiner Pfesdorf as well as fourth graders Simon Wittmer, GGS Wiedenest; Levi Koch, FCBG Peisel/Gummersbach; Matteo Nunez-Kreische, GVB Wiehl; Tim Unruh, GGS Nümbrecht and Nikolaj Stefanovski, GSV St. Antonius/Wipperfürth. (Photo: OBK)

At the state level, three math whizzes from Oberberg secured winning spots

Across North Rhine-Westphalia, nearly 33,000 primary school children from 1,039 schools participated in this year's competition. 1,200 of them made it to the third round. Of the nearly 1,500 students who competed in the Oberberg district, 30 children reached the final round. The top five scorers achieved more than 30 out of 40 possible points in the final held in Bergneustadt-Wiedenest.

Newcomer Nikolaj Stefanovski managed to secure a spot on the winner's podium "out of the blue." He hails from North Macedonia and has only been living in Germany for three years. In addition to his talent for mathematics, the fourth-grader is also highly gifted linguistically. The complex text problems were therefore „no problem!" for him.

Auch das junge "Matheass" Simon Wittmer (GGS Wiedenest) unterstützte die Gäste beim Lösen der schwierigen Wettbewerbsaufgaben. (Foto: OBK) — The young "math whiz" Simon Wittmer (GGS Wiedenest) also supported the guests in solving the challenging competition tasks. (Photo: OBK)

Teachers, parents, and siblings who attended the award ceremony at the State School Office for the Oberberg District in Gummersbach broke into a sweat over the tricky tasks. This is because the tasks in the mathematics competition (for primary schools) differ significantly from those in regular math classes. „It is important for schools to use such task formats. This way, children develop strategies and competencies early on.", said school inspector Reiner Pfesdorf. Together with Deputy District Administrator Heidrun Schmeis-Noack, he congratulated the primary school students on their achievements.

Auch Schulrat Reiner Pfesdorf (l.) und die stellvertretende Landrätin Heidrun Schmeis-Noack (r.) tüftelten mit Mathe-Sieger Matteo Nunez-Kreische und dessen Mutter an den Wettbewerbsaufgaben. (Foto: OBK) — Even school inspector Reiner Pfesdorf (left) and deputy district administrator Heidrun Schmeis-Noack (right) worked on the competition tasks with math winner Matteo Nunez-Kreische and his mother. (Photo: OBK)

The „particularly high quality" of this year's competition results in the Oberberg district was also praised by Matthias Greven, principal of GGS Wiedenest, and Tim Dörpinghaus, principal of OGS Lindlar-Ost. „To work with concentration over an examination period of 120 minutes, not to be discouraged by difficult and extraordinary tasks, and to find solutions, these are challenges that our students have mastered with flying colors.", said Mathias Greven with delight. The two principals alternate in organizing the mathematics competition at the district level.
After a small ceremony in Dortmund, where the state winners from Oberberg were also honored, the fourth graders were able to prove their skills once again in Gummersbach. In addition to their winner's certificates, the primary school students received strategy games and books, which some of the young math whizzes were already eagerly exploring during the ceremony.

If photos for download are provided exclusively for media representatives/press, all usage rights (cf. §§ 31 ff. UrhG) according to § 43 UrhG lie with the Oberbergischer Kreis. For reporting purposes, the media are granted a simple usage right according to § 31 Abs. 2 UrhG. When publishing, the image rights specified in the press release must be cited (corresponds to IPTC field no. 110). The additional mention of a natural person as the author according to § 13 sentence 2 UrhG is waived, as this regulation is overridden by the application of § 43 UrhG.