Author: Donnie Sewell

Several Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts students earned recognition at the 2022 FBLA District IV Spring Conference and advancing to the upcoming state competition.

The district conference was held on Feb. 2 at the University of Arkansas Community College at Hope/Texarkana in Hope. Students who placed in the top six of their event qualified to compete at the state FBLA conference that will be held April 4-5 in Little Rock.

Several Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts students recently earned recognition from the Arkansas School Band and Orchestra Association.

Seven students placed in the ASBOA Region II All-Region Concert Band on Jan. 22 at Lake Hamilton High School in Royal. It was the second year in a row where every ASMSA student musician who auditioned for the band earned a place in the Region II All-Region Concert Band.

Three Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts students earned a trip to the 2022 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair after being named overall winners in the annual West Central Regional Science Fair recently held at the school.

Senior Abby Berger of Jonesboro won first place overall in the regional science fair competition hosted by ASMSA on Feb. 24-25 followed by senior Claire Green of North Little Rock in second place overall and senior Danielle Luyet of Conway in third place. The students are eligible to compete in the 2022 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair that will be held in Atlanta in May.

The Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts lost one of its earliest Hot Springs advocates on Friday with the passing of Helen Selig.

Selig died Friday, Feb. 18, 2022, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. She was 84. A memorial mass will be held at St. Mary of the Springs Catholic Church in Hot Springs at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 24, followed by a reception.

Seven students at the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts have been named National Merit Scholarship Finalists.

The National Merit Scholarship Corp. recently announced the names of the Finalists for the 67th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. The students who are all members of the Class of 2022 will have the opportunity to continue in the competition for 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth about $3 million that will be offered this spring and summer.

Whether you’re a student seeking an opportunity to explore exciting topics as part of a summer camp or you’re wanting to take selected online courses for credit during summer break to get ahead, the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts is offering two free programs to meet those needs this year.

Serving as a public school counselor can be a very rewarding job. It can also be quite overwhelming at times.

Most counselors are tasked with a wide range of duties: providing academic advising, assisting with college planning, and serving as a front-line mental health worker for students to name a few. Add in the fact that most schools nationwide are understaffed in relation the number of students per counselor and it becomes clear that despite the best efforts of those professionals, some students are likely missing aid they need — academically and mentally.

Sara Brown, Ph.D., director of institutional advancement for the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts, recently was named a Certified Fund Raising Executive by CFRE International.

The CFRE designation is the only accredited certification for fundraising professionals and is recognized as the global standard for fundraising professionalism. Individuals granted the CFRE credential have met a series of standards set by CFRE International which include tenure in the profession, education and demonstrated fundraising achievement. They have also passed a rigorous written examination testing the knowledge, skills and abilities required of a fundraising executive and have agreed to uphold accountability standards and the Donor Bill of Rights. About 7,500 professionals around the world hold the CFRE designation.

The best path to prepare for success at a college or university isn’t the same for every student. One of the most important messages that high school students and their parents should hear is that scholarly development and college admissions are not “one size fits all.”

That’s a message that Bret Vallun, associate dean of college counseling at the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts, shares with his students. He previously served as a Student Success Coordinator at the school. In his new position, which he started during the summer of 2021, he assists the students through the college application process.