BoroSTEM Circle aims to give middle school and early high school

students the opportunity to explore, compete, thrive and have fun in

STEM and humanities beyond the classroom!

As a fifth grader, I wanted to participate in math contests, not just to win, but because I knew I could learn a lot from the experience. The problem was that our school didn’t offer any opportunities like that. My mom and I started researching and quickly learned that most contests expect you to compete through your school. At first, that was discouraging—but we figured out how to make it work.

We discovered that for contests like the AMC (American Mathematics Competitions), you can find local schools online and ask for a seat. We also learned about MATHCOUNTS and MOEMS, which can be run by parent volunteers. Finding out that a parent volunteer can handle ordering contests, arranging registration, and communicating with the organizations made all the difference. It allowed us to start a club at school even when we couldn’t find a teacher with enough time to coach and coordinate at the level needed to run a full program.

My mom was able to get permission from our school to officially start a Math Club and even had wonderful support from a teacher to proctor.  My younger brother Jash and I ran the coaching sessions together and often competed at the state level. 

I began taking advanced math classes through Art of Problem Solving (AoPS) in 4th and 5th grade and eventually completed 10 classes. The Art of Problem Solving teaches math a bit different; with a focus on problem-solving, proof-writing, and higher-level math concepts not usually taught in mainstream curriculum. I loved seeing how math connects to physics, which has become one of my biggest passions – after taking Physics on AoPS in 8th grade. I helped me to understand how these math concepts connect to solving problems. AoPS also has open access to videos and self-study.

Jash and I were both accepted into the MathWorks Math Camp at Texas State University, and I went on to attend the Honors Summer Math Camp (HSMC) for two years, even doing math research this past summer. My brother and I also participate in the Ohio Science Day - Science Fair. This past year I was honored as an AJAS Scholar, Sigma Xi Associate Member, and enjoyed participating in the MIT Breakfast with Scientists and other activities. While my brother earned a Governor’s and EPA award for his project.  While I was focused on higher level math camps my brother discovered programs like Youth in Government and Ohio History Day, which are also accessible as an independent entry. 

By sophomore year, I had earned a 5 on the AP Calculus BC exam and found myself searching for the next math class. I wanted something in-depth and challenging. I applied to and was accepted in to the Stanford Online High School, where I am currently enrolled in Multivariable Calculus and hope to take more college level math & physics my senior year. 

Over time, I’ve learned that opportunities are out there if you go looking for them. From MATHCOUNTS, Ohio Science Day to National History Day, there’s almost always a way to register as an independent student and participate. My brother Jash is more of a humanities kid, but he’s seen how scientific and analytical thinking can apply to most things. He uses it in History Day projects digging into deep research, Youth in Government delving into logical understanding, and exploring how the world works through the social science lens.

Together, we want other students in our community to know that they can get involved, discover their passions, and find opportunities—even when your local school doesn't provide them. While most schools in our area provide support for Lego League, Robotics, Destination Imagination, Academic Team and other fantastic programs but there are still other opportunities that might be interesting to you and they are often open to independent students. 

-Keeran P.