For Carbondale Area junior Erika Hollis, helping other students with math solidified her goal of becoming an accountant. When she’s not studying or participating in after-school activities, you can find this Simpson resident working, worshipping at her church or playing with her pets. Read on to learn more:
Q: What activities are you involved with in school?
A: In school, I am a part of the Future Teachers Club, Spanish Club, Bowling Club, Future Business Leaders of America and Prom Committee. I have opportunities to be a leader in different activities and work closely with teachers on projects and fundraisers. My club involvement has also helped me become a better leader and make some new friends.
Q: How did you first get involved in tutoring and mentoring other students?
A: When I first joined Future Teachers Club, we were still virtual, so I didn’t really get any action with tutoring until my sophomore year of high school. I then took Mr. (Corey) Foote’s Honors Geometry class, and he really pushed me in there and that helped me become a better tutor.
This year we just started the mentoring program, where I now help a student that is in Mr. Foote’s Honors Geometry class. When tutoring on Thursday mornings before school, I like to help with math the most, but if a student needs help with a different subject I am always willing to help with the best of my ability.
I personally feel it was a lot easier than what I expected it to be. I feel this way because of how comfortable I am in math, so it is easy for me to help students in the morning. I do think that if I did not continue with a degree in accounting, I definitely would become a math teacher or go to school to become a teacher.
Q: I heard you also helped organize a fundraiser for a school club? Tell us about that?
A: In January, the Future Teachers Club held a gift card bingo to help raise money for the club. For the bingo, I was one of the main organizers and planned almost the whole event.
Each club member went to different small businesses around Carbondale and received donations for the bingo, and some also bought gift cards as a donation.
The bingo went extremely well, and we made a lot more than we had expected. Our goal was to make a little more than $1,000 and we ended up making around $2,500! The main thing that helped boost our success was the specials, which we know to increase for the bingo next year.
With that being said, I would like to organize a bingo again and improve from the bingo we held this year.
Q: After you graduate, what are your plans?
A: After I graduate high school, I would like to attend a college to major in accounting. As of now, my top colleges are the University of Scranton and Marywood University.
During college, I would like to try to get internships to get into the work field as much as I can. After graduating from college, I would like to work at a well-known business for about five years to become a trusted accountant to be able to start my own business. After working for about five years, I would then like to start my own business and try to become well-known and trusted for accounting.
Q: Outside of school, what do you like to do?
A: Outside of school, I like to play travel softball and bowl in a league every Saturday morning.
I am also a part of the Clifford Community Church Youth Group, which we meet once a month and do a fun activity. After school, I also work at Frank’s Place in Simpson where I am a hostess. I have one younger brother, Collin Hollis, who is a freshman at the high school. I have a pet beta fish whose name is Bubbles and I have two German Shepherds, Abby and Maxx.