Meet the next generation of changemakers: The Analytics Challenge for High School Students Winners!

During the Business Analytics Data Challenge, high school students in grades 3-6 got hands-on experience using data and mathematics to address a real environmental crisis: ocean plastic pollution.

The Challenge

Participants designed optimal routes for a cleanup ship to collect the maximum amount of plastic from a grid-based ocean in 5 days. Using datasets showing plastic distribution and an online validator, students applied analytical thinking to solve this complex optimization problem inspired by The Ocean Cleanup’s mission.

The Results

A total of 45 entries were submitted by 37 participants. The best solutions removed 391 units of plastic—the maximum possible. Because multiple participants in both categories achieved this top score and their solution descriptions were equally strong, the total prize money per category (€3,500) was distributed among all winning entries.

Category Grades 3-4 Winners:

• Bart Schrader – Ichthus College Dronten

• Loek Oerlemans – Municipal Gymnasium Nijmegen

• Marieke van den Berge – Geert Groote College Amsterdam

• Max Shimron – Visser ‘t Hooft Lyceum Leiden

• Robin Pieterse – Gymnasium Beekvliet

• Mason Law – College de Heemlanden

• Stijn Blom & Jochem Verhaar – Driestar College Gouda

Category Grades 5-6 Winners:

• Dante Schmidt – Carmel College West-Betuwe

• Max de Vreugt Pezo – Cygnus Gymnasium

• Fay Lens – Municipal Grammar School Hilversum

• Marwane Slimani – Mondial College Leuvensbroek

• Sophia Jonkman – Castor College

• Amelia Jonkman – Nova College

• Julie Smeets & Dot Quaedvlieg – Laar & Berg

• Yara Aardse, Nina Malhotra & Nikki van Metelen – Laar & Berg

• Shervin Javadzadeh – Berlage Lyceum

• Annemijn Veltkamp – Municipal High School Hilversum

• Bram Leisink – Mondial College Leuvensbroek

• David Sierra Chinchilla – Huygens Lyceum

• Mia Kolb & Alisa Binkhorst – Laar & Berg

• Kayèno Vervelde & Imraan El Ghouati – Willem de Zwijger College

• Plastic Busters (Amal & Fatma) – Willem de Zwijger College

Congratulations to all winners!

What’s Next?

An online meeting will be held in February or March, during which winners will share their strategies, and The Ocean Cleanup will explain its real-world approach to the problem. Details coming soon.

Why It Matters

Every minute, a truckload of plastic enters our oceans, creating pollution zones like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch—nearly three times the size of France. The Ocean Cleanup, founded by 18-year-old Boyan Slat, uses innovative technology to capture this plastic without harming marine life.

This challenge gave students real experience in what they’d learn in the Bachelor Business Analytics program : using data, mathematics, and statistics to solve both business and societal challenges.

Want to join the next challenge?

A new Business Analytics Data Challenge launches later this year. Stay tuned!