Sunbury committee: three Math Walk stands to be installed May 9; ribbon-cutting May 13

The Sunbury City Parks and Recreation Committee heard an update April 2 that the first three stands for a proposed Math Walk will be installed on service day, May 9, with a ribbon-cutting set for Tuesday, May 13.

The project was described by Miss Sleeper, a math teacher at Big Walnut Middle School, who said students will submit real‑world math problems and a selection will be displayed on the stands along the trail behind GRE. “It’s kind of like a storybook trail, but instead, the students will be submitting math problems,” Miss Sleeper said. She told the committee she has “ordered the first 3 stands” and is continuing to raise funds to extend the project.

Committee members clarified placement and maintenance planning. Committee member Jake (last name not specified in the transcript) conducted a walk-through to advise on locations and maintenance needs; the stands’ material has been approved, and the committee expects middle school students to help install the stands on service day with assistance from the city’s services team.

The project organizers described the Math Walk as an interactive trail that will rotate problems annually and present a contest selecting entries to be featured. A committee member said the stands will be “placed along the trail there, in behind GRE.” The classroom teacher who presented the idea said she believes her research indicates it may be the first program of its kind in the nation; the committee recorded that claim but did not adopt a formal finding on national precedence.

No formal vote was taken on the Math Walk during the meeting. Committee staff indicated the organizers have funding for three stands and are seeking additional donations to expand the installation.

The committee did not set additional deadlines but noted the May installation and the May 13 ribbon-cutting dates for public notice and coordination with maintenance staff.