Marmion Academy student receives prestigious award

GENEVA – A Marmion Academy student from Geneva has been named the Rensselaer Medal winner, which recognizes excellence in math and science, according to a news release from the school.

Benjamin Riner, the son of Daniel and Teresa Riner, is a 2019 honoree of the award from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, which bestows the honor on promising high school juniors around the world.

"The Rensselaer Medal is a wonderful way to pay tribute to the high school students who have achieved excellence in math and science," said Karen Long, Director of Undergraduate Admissions, in a press release. "As we do so, we are aware that these early achievements, as impressive as they are, mark only one millstone on their future journeys of commitment to hard work, drive, focus, and collaborations.The Rensselaer Medal winners represent the next generation of leaders, scientists, innovators, artists, scholars, game designers, architects, humanitarians, and entrepreneurs."

The medal, the oldest prize of its kind in the United States, is awarded at more than 5,000 high schools throughout North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia.There are 217 medalists currently enrolled in the freshman class at Rensselaer. Each participating high school is allowed to select one member of the junior class to be honored with the Rensselaer Medal Award.The responsibility for designating the Rensselaer Medalist belongs to faculty and staff within the secondary school.

The merit scholarship, with a value of $25,000 per year, is guaranteed for four years for each medalist who is accepted and enrolls at Rensselaer, the release stated.

Marmion Academy, a Catholic-Benedictine college preparatory school for young men, is a community dedicated to spiritual formation, academic excellence and leadership development, according to the news release.