Math Club is a place for students to test their math skills, participate in activities, and compete against other students across the country. With the help of teacher Michelle Nelson, fellow teacher Kathleen Picchi was able to found the club this year. Picchi said, “I mentioned the idea of Math Club to Nelson and she pushed it along.” The purpose of the club is to, “Allow students who enjoy math to have an outlet to go to,” said Picchi and, “to challenge the students who enjoy math.”

Nelson said, “A main goal of math club is to prepare the members for the American Math Competition.” AMC is a math test that the students will take in the spring 2015. Students will compete against other students all around the country.

The club has been meeting since September. Every Monday, students meet right after school in Picchi’s room. The meetings last around 45 minutes and what is discussed varies. Usually, two math problems are solved and discussed. The two problems are released questions from old AMC 10-12 tests. On occasion, there will be fun challenges and math tricks, Picchi said.

Members and supervisors of the club participated in the Santa Clara University math competition, for which the students took a nine-problem math test. They did not know what to expect, but were “excited to be challenged,” said 2014 club Vice President Lauren Klauer. After the test, students walked around the campus having their own college tour by Picchi, an SCU alumna. They also plan to celebrate Pie Day, March 14, as close as they can to the actual day.

Math Club offers students “a place to see where math can take them outside the classroom,” Picchi said, noting that it is open to students excited for a deeper level of math. There are no requirements to be a member, other than being present at a single meeting. Klauer said the club provides, “An opportunity to meet people who share the same interest as you and test your math skills.” On average, 10 students attend the weekly meetings.