Mu Alpha Theta, the national mathematics honor society designed for high school and two-year college students, is looking for new members to join at Grosse Pointe South. Math teacher and adviser Alexa McConaghy said the club is for people who enjoy math, puzzles, logic and competition. 

“Mu Alpha Theta competes as well as participates in fun activities such as pi day and other events during the school year,” McConaghy said. 

Mu Alpha Theta attends a variety of competitions throughout the year, treasurer Claire Sheeren ’20 said.  

“Every competition is a little bit different,” Sheeren said. “A lot of them are just standardized math tests in which you sit down and get 100 minutes to complete a test.”

According to president John McInchalk ’20, the club mostly goes to competitions in the spring during second semester. 

“Last year we went to three competitions in addition to Michigan Math prize, which is a school-wide competition in October, and consists of extremely difficult multiple choice math problems,” McInchalk said. 

Sheeren said the club is still figuring out meeting times and future competitions, as this is only the second year Mu Alpha Theta has been at South. 

“We haven’t had our first meeting yet this school year, but we’re hoping to have a lot of new members join the club,” Sheeran said. “At the club fair back in August, we brought a ton of applications and we ran out of them by the end of the day.”

According to McCgonaghy, someone is interested in joining Mu Alpha Theta, they can pick up an application in room 316 of the IA building. 

“The national organization requires you to be in at least Algebra II, as well as have a math grade point average of 3.0,” McConaghy said.

Sheeren said the club is hoping to expand the amount and variety of competitions they attend this year.

“We really want to go to a live competition this year in which you go to a college or another school and you answer questions live and on the spot,” Sheeren said. 

McInchak said Mu Alpha Theta is a great way to express his interest in mathematics as well as explore math outside of the Grosse Pointe South curriculum. 

“There are clubs for languages and the sciences, but math didn’t really have a club for those interested in math” McInkchalk said. “Mu Alpha Theta is a way for people to express their interest and be involved in an extracurricular as well.”

Sheeren said she would encourage anyone who loves doing math problems, loves math class and people who possibly want people to pursue a career in mathematics to join. 

“It’s a really great organization filled with great people” Sheeren said. “Mu Alpha Theta creates such a positive environment, and I love being surrounded by other students who love math as much as I do.”