New National Math Honors Society offers scholarship opportunity and fierce math competition

A new honor society has emerged at school and much like the National Honor Society, scholarships are offered and colleges do recognize them.  The National Math Honors Society otherwise known as Mu Alpha Theta officially started at the beginning of the year by Renee Layoun, senior.

“I found the idea for The National Math Honors Society online while looking for ideas for the Math Club,” Layoun said.  “I thought it would be a good idea to start one here and help others on college applications.”

To become an official part in the Math Honors Society, it must be approved by the administration and a constitution stating the rules for the society would have to be created.  Another part of the approval process would then have to be taken by the National Charter of Math.  However, to be approved members of the society are needed.

“It was very stressful because we did the entire approval process in a two week period,” Layoun said.

Individual requirements to be a part of the society include being at least a sophomore, a GPA in math of at least 3.0 and having taken Algebra I and II.  It is also a requirement that members attend all of the meetings, which are always the second Thursday of each month in the forum.  At the meetings a guest speaker is brought in and it is usually someone who uses math on a day-to-day basis.

According to Layoun some short term goals the society has is to actively engage people in the meetings each month.  She hopes students will listen to the guest speakers and use what they have to influence what they want to do in the future whether it involves math or not.  Her personal long-term goals involving the society include making a lasting impression with the society.  She hopes that someone will take over when she graduates.

This year the application process is over.  However, applicants have incentives to join such as available scholarship opportunities, something to write down on college applications, guest speakers and math competitions.

This year 150 students have become a part of the society.  Tina Burdick and Lindsay Harris, math teachers, serve as advisers.

“We meet once a month at lunch time and have different speakers come and talk to us,” Burdick said. “Last month we had a city planner come talk to us about how she uses math in her career and what math courses she had to take to get where she is.”

According to Burdick the society also organizes a math convention once a year in a different location each year, were students and teachers interact with one another and participate in math related events.

A new honor society has emerged at school and much like the National Honor Society, scholarships are offered and colleges do recognize them.  The National Math Honors Society otherwise known as Mu Alpha Theta officially started at the beginning of the year by Renee Layoun, senior.

“I found the idea for The National Math Honors Society online while looking for ideas for the Math Club,” Layoun said.  “I thought it would be a good idea to start one here and help others on college applications.”

To become an official part in the Math Honors Society, it must be approved by the administration and a constitution stating the rules for the society would have to be created.  Another part of the approval process would then have to be taken by the National Charter of Math.  However, to be approved members of the society are needed.

“It was very stressful because we did the entire approval process in a two week period,” Layoun said.

Individual requirements to be a part of the society include being at least a sophomore, a GPA in math of at least 3.0 and having taken Algebra I and II.  It is also a requirement that members attend all of the meetings, which are always the second Thursday of each month in the forum.  At the meetings a guest speaker is brought in and it is usually someone who uses math on a day-to-day basis.

According to Layoun some short term goals the society has is to actively engage people in the meetings each month.  She hopes students will listen to the guest speakers and use what they have to influence what they want to do in the future whether it involves math or not.  Her personal long-term goals involving the society include making a lasting impression with the society.  She hopes that someone will take over when she graduates.

This year the application process is over.  However, applicants have incentives to join such as available scholarship opportunities, something to write down on college applications, guest speakers and math competitions.

This year 150 students have become a part of the society.  Tina Burdick and Lindsay Harris, math teachers, serve as advisers.

“We meet once a month at lunch time and have different speakers come and talk to us,” Burdick said. “Last month we had a city planner come talk to us about how she uses math in her career and what math courses she had to take to get where she is.”

According to Burdick the society also organizes a math convention once a year in a different location each year, were students and teachers interact with one another and participate in math related events.