Q:What motivated you to join these clubs?
“My interest in science motivated me to join Science Olympiad. At first, I hated science, but I found other branches in it that interested me and that I was actually good at. The same goes for Science for Change, except that Science for Change takes on a less competitive aspect of science through community service based in science. I joined HHS Tri-M/Forte because of my love for music and community service. My older brother actually participated in Quiz Bowl when he was at HHS, and my friends were a part of it too, which is why I decided to join. ”
Q: What do you like most about these clubs?
“I love both the competitive and inclusive environment, the bonding over events and socials and seeing people having fun at our events and meetings.”
Q: Would you recommend these clubs to others? Who would you recommend each to?
“I would recommend Science Olympiad and Quiz Bowl to people who are competitive, and Science for Change to those who aren’t. Both Science for Change and Homestead Tri-M/Forte are for people who enjoy community service combined with a passion for science and music, respectively. there is something for everyone.”
Q: What motivated you to join Math Club?
"Math has always been my thing. I've been passionate about it ever since fifth grade when I discovered Khan Academy, which developed into a passion for math contests. that became the new thrill because now I was not only solving math problems for accuracy, but for speed as well. And more recently that's been evolving into a passion for the more open-ended research-oriented math. going into high school, I kind of already knew that I was going to be in the math club Because I had been in the math club in middle school. The math club is something I just decided to try on a whim, because they used to publicize some of the contests, And so I waS like, 'okay, might as well try it out, see what it's all about'."
Q: What do you like most about the Math Club?
“What I really love about the math club is that students are very passionate about math. It's not like they plan to be math majors or anything, but they're advancing their passion for math, they're kind of exploring a fun side to math, they're seeing ways in which math can relate to other professions. that's actually one of the reasons we invited in guest speakers because that way more people join the Math Club and become passionate about math."
Q: What have you gained from being part of the Math Club?
“I learned a few different concepts, tricks and strategies that I hadn't known before. But I think the biggest thing that I've taken away from the Math Club is a newfound passion for teaching and spreading my love for math. I guess the idea behind that is just showing people that math isn't just a bunch of formulas, a bunch of numbers that you kind of crunch in and you get out, you know, weird outputs and answers. It's actually something that's very connected, very relevant to different fields."
Q: Why did you decide to join Mock Trial?
“Before joining Mock Trial, I was really, really shy. I was like: ‘I'm not going to sign up for clubs. it's not my thing.’ But when I showed up to round-up, this Mock Trial officer came up to me and she was super excited about Mock Trial, really engaged and she was like, 'You can totally do this, I know you have an open mind!' she made me feel like I could be part of Mock Trial, even though I didn't think at that time that it was going to be my thing at all. I went to their informational meeting, met the other officers who were all just like her, just as awesome, tried out, made the team and discovered that I actually really, really like Mock Trial.”
Q: What have you gained from Mock Trial?
"For me mock trial is a team atmosphere, so you are surrounded by people who want you to grow [and] want you to get better. it's a very growth mindset-oriented atmosphere. we want to see you improve as you come into the next year and so it's really a place for growth and improvement."
Q: What inspired you to become more involved with the club?
"Mock Trial pulled me out of my shell and I became way more confident. Mock Trial became the thing that I looked forward to every week. I wanted to just be more engaged with that. I wanted to be able to give ... the underclassmen coming up ... the same kind of space for growth that the seniors that were there when I was a freshman gave me, because they were my mentors. I wanted to pass on my amazing experience.”