Although science teacher Jorge Piquer may not get goose bumps solving a math problem, he still holds a passion for the subject. After enjoying his membership in the Mu Alpha Theta National Mathematics Honor Society in high school, Piquer initiated the society at JC with the help of Mathematics Department Chair Beverly Markel and math teacher Claudia Reyerson.

The national society encompasses about 1,800 chapters throughout the world. Mu Alpha Theta holds national competitions, but according to Piquer, the society will start off with competitions against local chapters to “get the flow of it.”

In order to join the society, students must meet national requirements and school qualifications. National requirements include a minimum 3.00 grade point average, four semesters of honors level math course, and enrollment in math classes all four years of high school. According to Piquer, JC requirements will include a math GPA higher than one’s overall GPA, and admittance through recommendations by students’ math teachers.

“We want students who see math in their future, as opposed to seeing it as a dead end endeavor,” Reyerson said.

Markel agrees that the society desires students with a passion for furthering the subject. “We want students who will promote the advancement of mathematics,” Markel said.

Particulars of the society, such as meeting times, are still being worked out. However, the idea of members tutoring students in the school and local communities seems to be substantial. According to Piquer, Harford Day School has expressed interest in student tutors.

Students such as junior Brian Matejevich, currently enrolled in Honors Pre-Calculus, and senior Elise Adamson, taking AP Calculus, are interested in the new society.

“I think it’s good to have the math honors society for people who love math,” Matejevich said.

“I’m really excited about it. It would be nice to get together with other students taking difficult math courses outside of class,” Adamson said.

Markel, Piquer, and Reyerson are also excited, and hope that the launch of Mu Alpha Theta will generate a greater focus on math as well as science.

As “the M in STEM…math is really the language of the sciences,” Markel said.

“I hope that it brings more attention to STEM as a whole, and the importance of math and science,” Piquer said.

Students who get goose bumps from math, or maybe just butterflies of excitement, should look for inductions to Mu Alpha Theta in late spring.

Kailey Tracy is a reporter for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.