The Clarke Central High School Math Team practices in Room 281 on Oct. 10. The team’s lack of direct advertising to students has led to only a small number of students attending practices.“I wouldn’t say we’re too well known (in the school). We don’t put a lot of effort or time into advertising or trying to make ourselves known,” CCHS Senior Grayson Krause said. “The main way we recruit is we reach out to math teachers at our school and say, ‘Hey, do you have students who you think are interested or might want to do more (math)?’ And (the students) come here by choice.” Photo by Mzée Pavlić
The Clarke Central High School Math Team is looking for new members to help lead the program.
With the help of John Walker, a Career, Technical and Agricultural and special education department teacher and the Math Team sponsor, CCHS seniors Will Simpson and Grayson Krause revitalized the CCHS Math Team during the 2023-24 school year.
Since rejuvenating the team, Simpson and Krause have taken up leadership positions. Now, they’re looking for new members to take on leadership roles once they graduate in the spring.
“I feel like one of our most important priorities right now is to make sure that we actually have people that are going to be here when we go off to college. I’ve been a part of a lot of clubs and I’ve seen a lot of times when some of the seniors leave, the clubs dissolve,” Simpson said, “I don’t want that to happen to the Math Team. I want to be able to find some people that can be good replacements for us.”
“There’s tremendous room for growth and I’m just excited about that.”
— John Walker,
Math Team sponsor
Walker is prepared to lead the team with the lessons he has learned until new students take up the mantle of leader.
“(With the team) I’m learning what to focus on and what to not focus on. In the future, I’d like to have maybe a whole lot of (practice worksheets) pre-printed and ready to go,” Walker said. “So, when Grayson and Will graduate, we’ll still (have) a plan to fall back on until (other) students rise up to the occasion and start to take on leadership roles.”
Despite no apparent incoming leaders, Walker is hopeful about the future of the team and its potential for expansion.
“I’m very optimistic, because true, it’s going to be very sad when (the seniors) graduate. But at the same time, we’ve got students almost every week voicing an interest in the club. I think we’re going to have students joining,” Walker said, “There’s tremendous room for growth and I’m just excited about that.”
