New club on campus: North American Computational Linguistics Olympiad

PHOTO: Visit the Davis High club website for more information on the North American Computational Linguistics Olympiad club or other clubs offered this school year. 

By Mia Croff,

BlueDevilHUB.com Staff–

New to campus this year is the North American Computational Linguistics Olympiad. NACLO is not only a club, but a nationwide high school academic organization similar to academic decathlon.  

“NACLO […] is a competition for high school students interested in learning about linguistics,” club captain senior Shruthi Karthik said. “The competition focuses on solving logic problems in some of the hundred of diverse languages.”

Karthik discovered the competition over the summer.  

“After a few practice problems, I know it was something I wanted to try competing in, which is why I started the club,” Karthik said. 

Karthik’s co-captain, senior Ahn Ramierez, is just as passionate about the formation of the new club.

“I am heavily invested in learning new languages so if there is an opportunity for me to combine both I am going to seize it,” Ramierez said.

Meeting topics include foreign writing systems, puzzle solving strategies and meta language.  Club captains also share tips and strategies to help members succeed in competition.  

Despite being a competition club, NACLO is also well suited for individuals who like to work independently.

“It is more of a self-reliant club since we can’t really effectively teach how to solve the problems,” Karthik said.  

Anyone who enjoys solving logic problems and finding patterns is recommended to join and connect with like-minded people. Although NACLO focuses on testing language comprehension, being multilingual or having experience in linguistics is not required. 

Club meetings are held twice a month on every other Thursday at 4 p.m. For more information about the club, contact club officers by email at dhsnaclo@gmail.com or reach out on Instagram, @dhsnaclo.