The Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts has been recognized as one of the nation’s top-performing public high schools in the latest Jay Mathews Challenge Index rankings.

Mathews, an education columnist for The Washington Post, created the Challenge Index in 1998 as a way to recognize schools across the nation who adequately challenge average students. It is the oldest high-school ranking system in the country. It has been published as “America’s Most Challenging High Schools” list in The Washington Post and Newsweek magazine in past years. This year’s list was announced on his website — jaymathewschallengeindex.com.

Dr. Patrycja Krakowiak, a life sciences instructor at the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts, is one of 10 national recipients of The Henry Ford’s Innovation Nation Teacher Innovator Awards.

The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation provides unique educational experiences based on authentic objects, stories and lives from America’s traditions of ingenuity, resourcefulness and innovation. The Henry Ford’s Teacher Innovator Awards, co-sponsored by Raytheon Technologies, honors pre-kindergarten through 12^th-grade teachers who inspire their students to challenge the rules and take risks, who demonstrate how to be collaborative and empathetic, and teach the value of learning from staying curious and learning from failure.

The tragic events and unrest of the past few weeks serve as stark reminders of our nation’s continued struggle with racial equality and justice.  ASMSA’s community of learning stands in solidarity with our students, families, alumni, and colleagues of color against acts of racism, prejudice, and hate.

From the wide array of individual backgrounds and experiences, we strive to weave a tapestry of understanding and growth within the classroom and residential experiences as students learn from and alongside their peers of different backgrounds, faiths, and beliefs.

The Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts held it 26^th annual Commencement Ceremony for the Class of 2020 on Saturday, May 23.

This year’s ceremony was unlike the previous 25, however. It was the school’s first-ever virtual commencement, featuring both administrative and student speakers, a video processional and graduates announcing their future plans via video. The commencement and an Honors Convocation recognizing students’ academic achievements for the 2019-20 school year were broadcast on the school’s Facebook page.

The Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts recognized students for their academic achievements during its annual Honors Convocation on May 23.

Departmental and special awards as well as recognition for other student achievements are announced at the annual spring semester event. This year’s convocation was held virtually, and it was followed by a virtual commencement, the first in the school’s history.

The Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts will hold a virtual Honors Convocation and Commencement Ceremony at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 23.

The virtual ceremony will be broadcast on ASMSA’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ARMathSciArts/.

The Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts has faced some unexpected challenges during this spring semester.

Students were required to move out of the Student Center in March because of the developing COVID-19 pandemic. Many other changes for students and staff alike followed, but each has accepted the challenges they’ve experienced.

Eight Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts students earned recognition during the Arkansas Future Business Leaders of America Virtual State Leadership Conference.

Awards for the state FBLA competition were announced during a virtual ceremony held on Monday, May 11. Students who placed in the top four of their individual category are eligible to compete in the FBLA National Leader Conference competition that will be held virtually this summer.

ASMSA students earning recognition on the state level included:

• Jacob Holmes, a junior from Rector, first place in Business Calculation;
• Carson Hardin, a senior from East End, first place in Business Communications;
• Lilli Hickman, a junior from Omaha, fourth place in Economics;
• Team of juniors Peyton Manry of Melbourne, HarLeigh Smith of Altus and Amanda Smothers of Pottsville, third place in Entrepreneuship; and
• Team of seniors Hadley Medlock of Alma and Ben Oliver of Jonesboro, second place in Marketing.

Senior Solomon Ni of Jonesboro was recognized as the outgoing State Speaker.

Video of the ceremony may be viewed at https://asmsa.me/ARFBLA20.

The Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts has received a $25,000 grant from the Windgate Charitable Foundation to expand it arts education program.

The grant will be used to offer additional courses in life drawing, printmaking, flameworking, illustration, fiber design, and small metals and jewelry. Additional coursework in Modern Design and Crafts will include furniture and applied design, computer applications in art, 3D modeling and technology, construction and mechanical engineering.

There’s a meme floating around the Internet that says, “With the right music, you either forget everything or you remember everything.”

It may be a simplified view, but it reveals how we feel about music — or perhaps more appropriately, how music makes us feel. A song may bring back a happy memory. It may help us cope with a sad moment. It may relieve stress or help us better focus on a task at hand.

Whatever the reason, music has the ability to reach across all kinds of boundaries and bring people of all kinds of backgrounds together.