Instructor Biography:
In the mid-90s, Mike Marcketti began teaching mathematics in a summer program offered by the Belin-Blank Center. Mike says that, "combined with experiences as a classroom teacher and math team coach, teaching in the summer program unleashed a fascination with interesting problems that cause us (both teachers and students) to really think about how we arrive at solutions…if we even can." Ever since, Mike has been determined to help as many students as possible uncover the wonders of problem solving from unraveling the mystery of "how to get there, to the rush of accomplishment when finishing, to the curiosity of but, what if…." Mike has taught at West High School in Iowa City, The Episcopal School of Baton Rouge, and he now teaches at Roosevelt High School in Des Moines. Since 2002, he has also been a Challenge Saturdays Challenge Math teacher for the Belin-Blank Center. Also, he has been a coach of Iowa and Louisiana state teams in national math competitions.

Instructor Biography:
I received my B.S. from Winona State University and my M.S. from the University of Iowa. I have been a mathematics instructor at Mount Vernon High School for the past 24 years, and I am also instructing Earth and space science there. For the past 8 years I have taught mathematics and science to talented and gifted middle-school students at College for Kids program in Cedar Rapids. I have also taught in the Belin-Blank Center’s JSA and WINGS programs (geometry; geology; aviation; and astronomy).

I sponsor a robotics club and a fishing club at Mount Vernon High School. For the last 6 years I have been an adjunct professor of astronomy at Kirkwood Community College. I am a private pilot and Wright Brothers historian. My hobbies include traveling, fishing, hiking, canoeing, spelunking, and disc golf.