At Schreiber High School, there are many academic clubs to participate in . The Physics Club was established this school year for students who are curious and interested in solving difficult science problems. The club also aims to help students prepare for the F=ma Test, which is a preliminary exam to be considered for the United States Physics Olympiad (USAPhO) or on the USA Physics Team. However, the club accepts all students and aims to be a place where everyone feels welcome to explore their interest in physics, whether studying for the test, learning more about the physical world, or studying for one of the many physics classes offered at Schreiber.
“Ethan Borda, the club founder and president, competed in the F=ma test last year, which is a pretty astounding accomplishment, and founded the club to try and help others prepare for the test as well,” said Schreiber physics teacher and Physics Club advisor Mr. Gregory Cassiano.
In addition to the F=ma, the Physics Club also aims to help students prepare for national competitions run by the American Association of Physics Teachers. These competitions, like the F=ma and the Physics Bowl, aim to challenge students to apply their knowledge to challenging physics problems, help them prepare for further exams as preliminaries to the USAPhO or USA Physics Team, or assist those interested in physics to further practice their passion.
The club plans to compete this year in both the Physics Bowl and the Long Island Physics Olympiad, a hands-on competition organized by the Long Island Physics Teachers Association (LIPTA). The Olympiad lets students work in teams to solve experimental problems and build creative solutions.
The club also posts weekly challenge problems in their Google Classroom, giving members and other students a chance to test their problem solving skills.
However, the Physics Club isn’t just about competitions and tests – they also want to make physics more accessible to everyone. They provide extra help for students who need it in the field of physics, offering peer tutoring to other students who are enrolled in Conceptual, Regents, and AP Physics courses.
“We want Physics Club to be a place where everyone feels welcome to explore, whether students come to study for a test or just wonder how things work. We have lots of things planned. Mr. Cassiano, our advisor, has been very helpful,” said senior Ethan Borda.
The club is also considering running a Physics Recruitment Program, which is designed to recruit members to the club and to build interest in the field for students who might not be familiar with this area of study. Members will visit chemistry classes and show cool physics demonstrations aiming to get more students excited and interested in physics, perhaps sparking an interest that students may not have had exposure to in the past.
In addition, the Club hosts speakers and other events to promote the area of science. One of the biggest upcoming events for the club is a zoom meeting with Professor Timothy Gay from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He will be talking about the Physics of Football on Nov. 20.
“I think the Physics club is a great idea, it really seems like something that will benefit the overall student body,” said sophomore Elyssa Geisler.
Even though it’s a club that started not too long ago, the Physics Club is already building a reputation for being both challenging and supportive. Whether you’re aiming to compete nationally in the field, or just want to see how physics applies to everyday life, the Physics Club at Schreiber has something for everyone. From test preparation and tutoring to guest speakers and hands-on experiments, they hope to be a place where everyone can find something they love and get the help they may need or want, as well as providing opportunities for students to gain more exposure to this field of science.
The club meets every Thursday after school in room 135 and offers students a chance to better understand physics and the world around them.