KIRKSVILLE, MO -- Mark Schneider puts his natural intelligence and talent to good use.

“During the fall I'm a member of the football team, but of course this is my last year so I won't be
anymore, then starting in the winter, I'm a member of the Kirksville Academic Team, which this year I had the amazing pleasure of being the Captain of, then during the spring I involve myself in the track team, then also throughout the year I'm a member of Foreign Language Club, for which I serve as Treasurer,” said Schneider.

In the fall, Mark will attend Truman State University where he will major in Mathematics.

“Numbers have really always made more sense to me than words have. I've always been a big fan of math; I'm a total math nerd. I do math for fun sometimes in free time,” Schneider said.

And although his days at KHS are numbered, he's looking forward to the next level.

“It'll be a wonderful experience to just go in, learning something new everyday in a field that is totally applicable and something that I enjoy, not that I don't enjoy high school, it'll just be to the nth degree in college,” Schneider said.
    
He's currently number one in his class, a National Merit Semifinalist, and in the top 100 of Missouri students based on an academic decathlon.

“He's probably the most enthusiastic student I've ever had for mathematics. He's always wanted to learn more and wants to know the inner workings of things, how concepts connect, and relate to one another,” said AP Calculus Teacher Gary Lee.
    
And although he's busy running from one activity to the next, he still finds time for fun.

“I like to read. I actually don't read nearly as much as I should. I like to read the classics so if nothing else I can at least sound well read. Otherwise, video games,” Schneider said.

KTVO congratulates Scholar of the Week Mark Schneider!