By Isabelle Lounsberry
Mu Alpha Theta. You may have heard the name, or perhaps seen the punny t-shirts with odd math equations and symbols. The mathematics honor society here at Apopka has been very active, hosting multiple events and activities.
The members mostly help tutor students in math and do community service together. However, they also have held a few other activities. For example, on March 14th (Pi Day), they went around giving teachers moon pies, drawing graphs in the courtyard with chalk, and hosting math trivia in the cafeteria, in which the correct answer won a cookie. They also travel to some of the elementary and middle schools to tutor and help with FSA prep, as well as other mathematics-related exams and activities.
Most of these occasions are planned by either the student elected President, senior Ruth Perez, or vice president, senior Cassidy Proctor. When asked her opinion of the officers, sophomore Rachel Simmons, stated, “I know Cassidy is really good. She does most of the stuff.” Both of the officials have done an excellent job this year, not only with planning extensive gatherings for the club but also with not taking the positions lightly, taking care to carry the responsibility with others in mind. Another thing that makes the two extraordinary is that they– for the most part–do everything themselves.
Mrs. Anderson, sponsor of Mu Alpha Theta and math teacher of 25 years, has just started her sponsorship this year. Her main obligation is to supervise and mentor the students, merely shepherding them through the motions rather than taking on all of the authority, giving the opportunity to students for independence and growth. During her interview, she made it clear that the position was something that suited her well, as she has always loved math and dreamed of teaching it since eleventh grade. She also mentioned what made the extra work enjoyable for her and her students. “It’s just fun to be around people that love math too and get excited about planning. The planning part is fun because they have good ideas. We can’t do everything we wanted to do, but it’s still fun to be around people that like to plan fun math activities.” A tender moment to mention is that when asked how it affected her life, Mrs. Anderson fondly divulged that she felt more connected to her students, and while already having a good relationship with her students, she felt more engaged with those who had similar interests through the organization.
By many accounts, including that of Mrs. Anderson herself, over one hundred kids signed up to be part of Mu Alpha Theta. However, only about twenty or thirty of them tutor regularly. This could probably be due to lack of commitment throughout the student population, but could also be used as a testament to the love of math by many students, despite the eventual decline. If you yourself are interested in Mu Alpha Theta, speak to Mrs. Anderson or email your guidance counselor for a chance to join next year. Those who remain until graduation will receive a cord.