CVHS’ Beta Club made waves at this year’s regional Beta Academic Competition, showcasing a wide range of talents across categories. The club’s hard work paid off as they secured placements for several members. Beta Club will be sending two students, Crystal Zhang and Caleb Emebo, to the national rounds.
The competition starts with an initial regional test-based round; advancing into national rounds means students will compete in live competition in front of judges who might present them a variety of challenges on a topic.
Ivy Gautam, the club’s president, reflected on the team’s success with pride. “It was surreal,” she said. “[I] felt proud and excited knowing that our hard work paid off, our school was being recognized.”
Zhang, a CVHS sophomore who competed in the Biomedical competition, excelled and placed first in the academic round.
Embedo, who tackled the spelling category, stood out with an exceptional score that pushed him to the top of the leaderboard, also earning first place.
According to Gautam, what set both competitors apart was not just their skill, but their passion for the topics.
“Their [Embedo and Zhang’s] biggest advantage was that they are actually passionate about the subjects they competed in,” Gautam said. “That, and attention to detail, really set them apart.”
The club competed in a wide array of events at regionals, including English, math and science tests, as well as creative and service categories such as visual arts and talent.
This year’s success was due in part to changes the club made to improve organization and member’s motivation.
“One major change was a stronger emphasis on communication and planning. We used group chats and shared documents to keep everyone informed,” Gautam said.
Bi-weekly meetings and sessions helped students prepare.
“We created a timeline early in the semester to stay on track,” Gautam said. “There was a lot of collaboration between our members to help each other.”
Officers also served as mentors, offering guidance and support to newer members unfamiliar with the competition process.
As the club turns its attention toward nationals, Gautam is already thinking of ways to improve. “Starting our preparation earlier in the year would give members more time to refine their projects and build confidence,” Gautam stated. “I’d also love to introduce peer review sessions where members can give each other feedback, we grow more when we collaborate to grow together.”
Embedo and Zhang will represent CVHS at the National Beta Competitions Convention this summer and they won’t be going in unprepared.
“We’re already setting up new sessions and making sure they have everything they need,” Gautam said.
Until then, the club is staying focused, feeling proud of what they’ve accomplished so far and preparing to be ready for what’s next.
