During the meeting, Junior Katelyn Castro proposes new ideas to everyone in Science National Honor Society in an attempt to make a difference in the community.
Castro served on the executive board for SNHS for the last two years, creating more opportunities for the club to grow and help out in the community. Last year she handled all the money as treasurer, but now she runs everything for the club as president.
“I feel like one of the most important things in high school is pursuing those opportunities that you don’t think you can get,” Castro said. “A lot of those would be research or outreach programs you have to apply for and getting accepted into those, it’s a really prideful moment and I want that for other people too.”
Castro has been interested in the science field her entire life, and she plans to study physics in college.
“I’m passionate about science, so it’s something that I want to share,” Castro said. “Especially future job opportunities and research programs.”
SNHS’ monthly meetings consist of two main parts: The business half and the science half. The president runs the business part, and they discuss different ways that they could do something science-related to help out the community or further their knowledge of science.
“I feel like at Legacy not many people know about a lot of things that we can be doing for college applications, but also just our interests,” Castro said. “Sharing that is what I like the most about being president of SNHS.”
After the business section of the meeting, all of the members participate in a STEM-related activity. These activities could be anything from creating marshmallow-carrying parachutes to decorating a hallway with skeletons for homecoming.
“I feel connected to a lot of the members and officers, even if I didn’t really know them before because they’re all here for the same reason,” Castro said. “We all have some sort of interest in science and academics. It’s a very good community to have, and everybody cares about similar things. Everyone’s very driven.”
SNHS sponsor Donna Kercher handles all of the logistics for the club, and she sets up guest speakers and creates hands-on activities to further the students’ science knowledge.
“I like it when the business part is over and we do the activity,” Ms. Kercher said. “That’s when you see their creativity and the hands-on and smiles.”
To join the club, students must be enrolled in all advanced or AP science classes and have at least a 3.5 GPA in those classes, have over a 3.0 overall GPA and get teacher recommendations before the spring semester.
“I get anxious leading up to the meetings because it’s almost like having a third class prep, so I tend to forget,” Ms. Kercher said. “The week of the meeting, I get very anxious about everything I have to get done for the meeting, but my officers are great and they help out quite a lot.”
For the past four years, Mrs. Kercher sponsored SNHS, and every spring they hold a tutoring session for the Biology EOC
“I just wanted to help spread the love of science,” Kercher said. “I want to make kids more aware of opportunities in science beyond thinking I have to take this class, and seeing my room full of kids who are passionate about science is rewarding to me.”
SNHS not only creates opportunities for people to get involved in the science field for college, but it also creates opportunities to get closer to people who share a similar passion for science.
“I do think that colleges will recognize that I did try to take a part in science, and even without that recognition I would still be in SNHS,” Castro said. “I really care about it, and I care about other people pursuing science like I do.”
