March 27, 2024 — Caden Gadjigo, a junior at Northland High School, is on an accelerated pathway to success, all thanks to his favorite subject - mathematics. Gadjigo first discovered his joy in math as an eighth grader at Woodward Park Middle School. 

“I used to not like math back in middle school,” he said. “In my eighth-grade year, math started clicking for me. It was easy.”

Nearly a year later, the then-freshman signed on to take algebra and geometry simultaneously, setting him up to take Algebra II as a sophomore in a typically junior/senior level class. As a junior, he continues to challenge himself by taking college-level math courses.

“[Math] has been a great building block for my graduation,” he said. “It started me on my advanced path.” 

Now a junior, Gadjigo translates his mathematical knowledge into activities outside the classroom. He is one of many students in the prestigious Northland STEM Club. As co-president of the club, he manages the organization and its members. With tasks like maintaining inventory and setting budgets for trips and other expenses, Gadjigo’s math skills prove essential to the team. 

“We do calculations with our budget to find cheaper alternatives to how we spent money last year,” he said.

When he’s not maintaining the STEM Club’s budget, Gadjigo assists with the marketing and website management of the Ten80 Racing Team. Just one part of the STEM Club, Ten80 Racing, like Nascar, engages students in the mechanics, driving, and marketing of RC cars.

Math isn’t the only way he’s accelerating his education; Design, whether print, media, or graphic, has always been a passion project for Gadjigo. When he’s not at his school, this Northland Viking can be seen on the campus of Fort Hayes Career Center taking courses in graphic design and printing. 

When Gadjigo was a freshman, a friend saw his designs and encouraged him to pursue art professionally. He took the advice and launched his clothing line, C.G. Attire. He said he wanted to attend classes at Fort Hayes to learn more about expanding his brand. 

“My brand was one of the leading factors of wanting to go to the career center,” said Gadjigo. “Creatively Guided Attire is all about love and authenticity with oneself and others. The goal is to build a community of creatives who uplift each other through fashionable pieces that embrace love and authenticity.”

The brand has taken off three years later but with much challenge and sacrifice. 

“I used to think, ‘How hard is it to start a whole business off of just a drawing?’ It is actually pretty hard. My first two years were a lot of trial and error,” said Gadjigo 

Like his favorite subject, math can also involve trial and error until the correct solution is found.

“[Math] taught me discipline,” said Gadjigo. “It showed me that if I stick with something, even when it gets rough, then I’ll be able to get the correct answer or the positive outcome from doing it.” 

Since his brand’s launch, the clothing has been available across Fort Hayes and Northland campuses. He was even lucky enough to be featured in two school fashion shows.

“Just getting people to wear my brand, that’s what’s been making me happy and motivated me to do all of this,” he said.

Gadjigo has also dabbled in modeling as part of Future of Fashion with the Columbus Fashion Alliance. This internship teaches students the ins and outs of the fashion business, including fashion design, technical design, sourcing, materials, suppliers, styling, and more.

“It was inspiring for me,” he said. “It gave me more inside of what it means to own a fashion brand.”

Following his graduation from Northland in 2025, Gadjigo dreams of attending college for fashion design and retail to grow his business. 

As for the near future, Gadjigo works to balance his studies, STEM Club, his brand, his internship, superintendent student ambassadors, running track and cross country, being the Northland rep for the Youth of the Year with the Boys and Girls Club of Central Ohio, and more. 

He attributes his ability to balance these items simultaneously to the discipline he’s been learning in math over the years.

“Every second counts,” he said. “I’m grateful for math.”