There are many service organizations at Perry High School, but one of the most recent additions is the Science Honors Society, started by a Junior, Nathan Lam, along with two of his friends. As the club’s name implies, it has a  similar structure to other service organizations, but it is focused on S.T.E.M.(Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) subjects. The organization aims to introduce students to different fields of science through guest speakers from various career paths.

David Flores, co-teacher advisor of the Science Honors Society, claims, “We wanted to offer an opportunity for excellence in science to be recognized.”

Similar to other service organizations, Science Honors Society has specific expectations towards incoming members. To become a member of Science Honors Society, there are several requirements that an aspiring student must achieve before being considered. Members are obligated to maintain a weighted GPA of 3.75, along with taking at least two core honors science classes and one non-core science course, or three core honors science classes.

After meeting those requirements, comes the application process. Junior, Patrick Viboolmate notes, “ There was an application process with a couple of personal essays, but they were really short…You also have to submit your transcript so they can check your grades.”

Currently, there are 50 participants in the organization at Perry High School for this school year, but Lam is hoping to encourage more students to take part in the club in the future. Lam mentions, “Next year we are hoping to expand and get more applications. We have a big pool of juniors this year, and we are hoping to get more seniors in the future.”

Although not everything is going according to plan this year, the founders, the teacher advisors, and current members are all attempting to adapt to this situation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally, they were anticipating having guest speakers provide insight from their real-world experiences in the field of   science, and various fundraisers were planned to be held, but these lectures and activities have turned virtual. The society still gathers monthly, but all meetings are held online. 

Certain aspects and requirements of Science Honors Society, such as service hours,  have been adjusted and shortened as a result of the pandemic. Lam explains, “We are keeping our requirements for hours low this school year because we understand with all of the stuff going on this year, it is a little tough.” Considering that it was started halfway through the year, it has been a little difficult attempting to stay in contact with each of the members and to set up the meetings. 

There are many aspects to consider when starting a new club, but the creators, advisors, and members are working together to persevere through these difficult times. Despite the challenges and concerns that the coronavirus has brought, Science Honors Society is still hoping to grow and motivate other students to apply to this club next year.