The Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts identifies students with potential, creates an opportunity to develop that potential and provides them the opportunity to celebrate success, said Eric Jackson, general manager of Oaklawn Park, said during the school’s commencement ceremony for the Class of 2015.
Jackson was the featured speaker for Saturday’s ceremony that was held in Horner Hall at the Hot Springs Convention Center. He spoke about how horse racing can be broken down into finding horses with potential, development of that potential and celebration of success.
ASMSA operates much the same way, he said. The school seeks out students who have potential to succeed in its academic program from across Arkansas, including small rural school districts, he said. It creates an “unbelievable learning environment where potential can be developed,” he said, leading students to successful educational careers.
Jackson continued with the parallels between horse racing and ASMSA. Every year about 30,000 horses are born, and each year about 30,000 students graduate from high school, he said. Of those racehorses, only about 100 eventually rise to the top. It is the same for high school seniors – only a few rise to the top. “And I also know 102 of them are sitting in this room right now,” he said.
Each year, there are about 40,000 races across the country. The very best are awarded what’s called Grade I status. There are only a handful to earn that status, Jackson said, including the Arkansas Derby and the Kentucky Derby.
Similarly there are about 40,000 high schools in this country. The very best are awarded the equivalent of a Grade I status, he said, including ASMSA which was ranked No. 10 in the nation by The Daily Beast in 2014.
To succeed, however, the support team is critical. The horses have to have good people around it to develop its potential. By the time a horse gets to the races, 81 people, including trainers, jockeys, exercise riders, veterinarians and many others have had a hand in its development, Jackson said.
While he could not be sure of the number of people involved in each graduates’ success, he said he would not be surprised if that number was at least 81 when parents, teachers at all levels, counselors, neighbors, coaches, family members and many others are included.
And just as in horse racing, it helps to be in the right place, he said. Being able to say that you graduated from the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts is an important distinction from other high schools, he said.
In the end, however, the students’ ultimate success is up to them, he said.
“If you really were racehorses, you’d be the heavy favorites. So the question is not if you’ll be successful; the question is when and where. And that may come down to what is your personal definition of success,” he said.
Jackson shared examples of several of his friends. One is a successful CEO of a big business. Another is a physician who runs a free clinic in his spare time. Yet another used to have a professional career that he gave up to run a ministry in a low-income neighborhood.
“Whatever it is, you’ll have to define your own definition of success. I’m pretty sure if it involves being challenged, being fulfilled, being engaged and being personally satisfied, you will have found your success,” he said.
He said his personal hope was that they would find their success in Arkansas. It is the people of Arkansas who made ASMSA and the students’ opportunity to attend such a school a possibility, he said, adding that if they find success in Arkansas, the investment in the school and them is rewarded.
“Because truth is, Arkansas needs you. The best way for our state to develop its own potential is if the best and brightest among us help lead us. And you are our best and brightest,” he said.
The Class of 2015 included 102 graduates who were recognized during Saturday’s ceremony. As a class, the students earned $14.6 million in scholarship offers from colleges, universities and other sources.
The ceremony also featured two speakers from among the graduates. Senior Sophia Ly, who served as president of the Student Government Association, spoke as did Nila Ray of Pine Bluff, who was chosen from among several graduates who submitted speeches to speak at the ceremony.
Ly focused on how the students had changed and grown through their shared experiences at ASMSA. She said they changed as soon as they walked through the doors of ASMSA wanting the challenge, the new experiences “and the community of fellow nerds. And with that first step we took on campus, we knew that this is where we belonged.”
She said that a dear friend once told her that a place is only as good as the people. “I guess that makes ASMSA a pretty great place,” she said.
Ray said that ASMSA was her chance to finally reach her full potential among other driven, hard-working individuals. From the first day of their junior year, members of the Class of 2015 began to reach their full potential, she said.
“Two years ago, I would not have had the courage to stand before you today. Before ASMSA, I was just a name with a face. I had no clue what maturity, responsibility, leadership and individuality truly meant. Today, I’m Nila Ray, who has much to tell you about her time here, who has gone through struggles, who has reached amazing accomplishments, who has found the person within herself. I think I can say on behalf of my peers and myself, thank you ASMSA, for giving us a chance we would not have had otherwise,” she said.
Corey Alderdice, ASMSA’s director, encouraged the students to “not feed the trolls.” In an online commentary environment, a troll is a person who meets any attempt to communicate or reason with them with negativity, often antagonizing other commenters. But trolls are not limited to the Internet, Alderdice warned, and many of the graduates will encounter trolls in the future, whether it is classmates, coworkers or sometimes even their own doubts.
He encouraged the graduates to not give their time, energy and attention to the people who say, “you are not enough.”
“You cannot control the trolls. But you can control how you handle them. When you make the decision to not feed the trolls — when you decide to focus your time, attention and energy on affecting positive changes on the journey ahead of you — you will go farther (and) faster than you ever dreamed possible,” he said.
The following students (listed by county) were recognized during the ceremony:
Arkansas: Angelina Anderson of Humphrey;
Benton: Max Bernards of Bentonville; Michael Ostrosky of Rogers;
Boone: Andrew Best of Harrison, Abi Dardas of Harrison;
Cleburne: Morgan Wortman of Greers Ferry;
Columbia: Caraway Kardas of Magnolia;
Craighead: Sophia Ly of Jonesboro; Katelyn Watson of Jonesboro;
Crawford: Katherine Parham of Alma;
Crittenden: Jakyra Kynai Scaife of Marion; David Zhong of West Memphis;
Cross: Dakota Gahr of Wynne; Casely Graves of Wynne; Le’Aysha Pearson of Wynne; A’Ja Rolfe of Wynne; Caleb Smith of Wynne;
Dallas: Hunter Pettit of Fordyce;
Desha: Adam Lee of McGehee;
Drew: Emily Fendley of Monticello;
Faulkner: Nicole Brooks of Vilonia; Maggie Easley of Conway; Caitlyn Hallett of Vilonia; Sydney Holland of Mayflower; Jacob Johnston of Greenbrier; Bailey McCreary of Conway; Alex Palmer of Vilonia; Jackson Renfroe of Greenbrier;
Franklin: Samuel Humphrey of Ozark;
Garland: Andrew Beard of Hot Springs; Laura Beth Durham of Hot Springs; Saray Miller of Hot Springs; Kelsey Myers of Pearcy; Darbe Powell of Hot Springs; Mary Staton of Hot Springs;
Hempstead: Deisy Abarca of Hope; Brooke Blackwell of Hope; Chandler Stroud of Hope;
Hot Spring: Eli Balding of Malvern; Jason Fulbright of Bismarck; Beau Hunter of Malvern;
Jackson: Emilee Emery of Tuckerman;
Jefferson: Tim Brown of Pine Bluff; Nila Ray of Pine Bluff;
Lee: Rachel Dawson of Brickeys;
Logan: Shelby Johns of Paris; Travis Tabler of Booneville; Ethan Thompson of Paris;
Lonoke: Kelsey Dietrich of Cabot; Kenneth Munday Jr. of Cabot; Michael Towns of Cabot; Evan Waltersdorff of Ward;
Marion: Zak Ford of Flippin; Andrew O’Neil of Flippin;
Miller: Austin Chamlee of Texarkana;
Mississippi: Jayden Flie-White of Osceola;
Montgomery: Ezra Tollett of Black Springs;
Newton: Jiya Janowitz of Jasper;
Perry: Tyler Cothern of Bigelow;
Phillips: Maya Fleming of Barton;
Pike: Payton Henson of Glenwood;
Polk: LaShawna Hanes of Mena; Lizzie Sutherland of Mena;
Pope: Alex Garza of Russellville;
Prairie: Jordan Thompson of Hazen;
Pulaski: Bailey Bishop of Little Rock; Adam Bliss of North Little Rock; Jessica Campbell of Little Rock; Mara Campbell of Little Rock; Christina Choh of Little Rock; Eric Dilworth Jr. of North Little Rock; Trib Ebarb of Sherwood; Alex Harris of North Little Rock; Reed Hubbard of North Little Rock; Kim Le of Little Rock; Grishma Patel of Little Rock; Cheyenne Salts of North Little Rock; Rushi Soni of North Little Rock; Asa Thacker of North Little Rock; Rachel Williams of Maumelle; Joseph Zhang of Little Rock;
Saline: Kyle Adkins of Benton; Jongsang Ahn of Bryant; Tyler Kee of Benton; Gael Kim of Bryant; Jackie Mosely of Mabelvale; Anna Reckling of Bryant; Ethan Spurlock of Benton; Luke Tyhurst of Bryant;
Sebastian: Ashley Barto of Greenwood; Madison Green of Fort Smith;
Sevier: Victoria Antley of Lockesburg;
Sharp: Austin Himschoot of Hardy;
Stone: Joni Everett of Mountain View; Jodah Gibson of Mountain View;
Union: Rebecca Davidson of El Dorado;
Van Buren: Erin Baker of Leslie;
Washington: Tuong Hoang of Fayetteville;
White: Nina Valdes of Griffithville; and
Woodruff: Kali Fleming of McCrory.