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.
ASMSA held the virtual ceremony as the COVID-19 pandemic has required social distancing practices that did not allow a physical event to take place. Students have been participating in remote instruction since mid-March. State regulations on gatherings as well as recommendations from the University of Arkansas System, of which ASMSA is a member, restricted large in-person ceremonies.
During the event’s opening remarks, Stuart Flynn, dean of academic affairs for ASMSA, said he would not forget the students’ “enthusiasm, your dedication and your grace in the face of extraordinary challenges that none of us could have anticipated.”
“You’ve consistently managed unexpected and nearly impossible circumstances, and those actions have come to define you. It is in these most challenging parts of our lives that human character is best shown, and the best parts of yourselves have been shown this year,” he said.
Students who earned departmental awards included the following students.
Physical and Natural Science Department
Outstanding Juniors in Biology: Lidia Belete of Marion and Max Green of North Little Rock
Outstanding Seniors in Biology: Ethan Talley of Conway and Alexx Weaver of Lonoke
Outstanding Sophomores in Chemistry: Shawn Chen of Little Rock and Bryan Massey of Conway
Outstanding Juniors in Chemistry: Jacob Holmes of Rector and Hyunseo Seok of Jonesboro
Outstanding Seniors in Chemistry: Macey Ross of Jonesboro and Emily Smith of Emerson
Outstanding Juniors in Physics: David Huang of Little Rock and Catherine Kwon of Little Rock
Outstanding Seniors in Physics: Cam Elliott of Hot Springs and Macey Ross of Jonesboro
Outstanding Juniors in Engineering: Andrea Golden of Barling and William Hay of Bradford
Outstanding Seniors in Engineering: Rori Burgess of Augusta and Salim Al-Tamimi of Jacksonville
Outstanding Juniors in Earth and Space Science: Nova Ammerman of Cherokee Village and Laura Hansen of Rogers
Outstanding Seniors in Earth and Space Science: Esther Filipek of Bismarck and Hadley Medlock of Alma
Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair Qualifiers: Victoria Hwang of Maumelle; Jason Hoang of Hartman; Catherine Kwon of Little Rock; Devin Patel of Blytheville; Ethan Talley of Conway; team of Alexx Weaver of Lonoke and Sophia McLain of Van Buren; and the team of Max Green of North Little Rock, Reed Karman of Little Rock and Rhiannon Smith of Bismarck.
Humanities and Fine Arts Department
Outstanding in Graphic Arts: Gabriel Watson of Little Rock
Outstanding Junior in Visual Arts: Takoya Marks of Prescott
Outstanding Senior in Visual Arts: Sydney Davidson of North Little Rock
Outstanding in Music: Yibing Hu of Jonesboro
Outstanding in American Studies: Amanda Buxton of Jonesboro
Outstanding in U.S. History: Ashley Pizzolato of Donaldson
Outstanding in World History: Kinsey Garofalo of Benton
Outstanding in Social Science: Trinity Robinson of Fayetteville
Outstanding Humanities Senior: Maggie Hendrix of Fayetteville
Outstanding Humanities Junior: Yasmean Dehaghani of White Hall
Outstanding in French I: Jacob Holmes of Rector
Outstanding in Intermediate French: A.J. Navarro of Hot Springs
Outstanding in Advanced French: Chloe Biermann of Fayetteville
Outstanding in Intermediate Spanish: Aishani Singh of Hot Springs
Outstanding in Advanced Spanish: Yoo-Jin Ahn of Jonesboro
Outstanding in Japanese I: Shawn Chen of Little Rock
Outstanding in Japanese II: Ezra Woolfork of Marion
Outstanding Photographer: Harleigh Smith of Altus
Dan Benton Endowed Memorial Award for a student showing promise and interest in history: Chloe Biermann of Fayetteville
Mathematics and Computer Science Department
Outstanding Sophomore in Computer Science: Shawn Chen of Little Rock
Outstanding Juniors in Computer Science: Isha Patel of White Hall and Alyssa Richey of Powhatan
Outstanding Seniors in Computer Science: Trinity Robinson of Fayetteville, Karsen Beck of Maumelle and Devin Patel of Blytheville
Outstanding Juniors in Mathematics: Max Green of North Little Rock, David Huang of Little Rock and Catherine Kwon of Little Rock
Outstanding Seniors in Mathematics: Carson Hardin of East End and Jason Hoang of Hartman
Dr. George Connor Memorial Award for Excellence in Mathematics: Tristan Eoff of Little Rock
Melanie Nichols Honorary Award for Excellence in Mathematics: Victoria Hwang of Maumelle
Summer Fellowships
ASMSA offers several summer fellowships for rising seniors which allows the students to conduct research or complete a project over the summer break. The fellowship awards are granted through the ASMSA Foundation.
Hadley Hooper of Marion was selected to receive the Alderdice Family Summer Arts Fellowship, a $400 fellowship that is awarded to a rising senior to assist in working towards completion of his or her art portfolio for their capstone project, which is the co-curricular capstone experience to ASMSA’s academic program.
Lidia Belete of Marion received the Computer Science Summer Research Fellowship, a $600 award that was established from contributions made at the 2015 Community of Learning Luncheon supporting Coding Arkansas’ Future and will assist a rising senior with a computer science learning experience.
Crafton Blakenship of Bee Branch received the Fredinburg Technology and Innovation Fellowship, a $600 fellowship that was established in memory of Class of 1999 alumnus Dan Fredinburg and is awarded to a rising senior for the purpose of developing a new, viable business venture or the commercialization of an innovative application of technology
Catherine Kwon of Little Rock and Michael Hawkins of Hot Springs was awarded the Murphy USA Summer Research Fellowship, a $600 fellowship that is awarded to a rising senior who plans to conduct summer research toward completion of his or her capstone or ISEF project.
Chloe Kirk of Eureka Springs received the ASMSA Trustees’ Service Fellowship, which was established by the original ASMS Board of Trustees and other ASMSA supporters. Each summer, a rising senior will be awarded this $600 fellowship to pursue a service learning project or program intended to better their home community.
Special Awards and Recognitions
QuestBridge National College Match works with top universities across the country to offer four-year, full scholarships to deserving students who may otherwise be unable to afford to attend those institutions. ASMSA had 12 students who qualified as QuestBridge Finalists, including Sydney Davidson of North Little Rock, Tierney Earnest of Benton, Ghalian Fadah of Pine Bluff, Esther Filipek of Bismarck, Emma Hill of Hot Springs, Minnie Lee of Charleston, Hadley Medlock of Alma, Sophia Meinshausen of Mountain Home, Ra Omar of Little Rock, Ashley Pizzolato of Donaldson, Gabby Taunton of Austin and Haven Whitney of Searcy. Three students earned QuestBridge National College Matches — Ghailan Fadah of Pine Bluff, Ra Omar of Little Rock and Haven Whitney of Searcy.
Seven students qualified as National Merit Finalists — Yoo-Jin Ahn of Jonesboro, Trisatan Eoff of Little Rock, Carson Hardin of East End, Jason Hoang of Hartman, Howard Grant Orlina of Little Rock, Emily Smith of Emerson and Haven Whitney of Searcy.
Tristan Eoff of Little Rock, A.J. Navarro of Hot Springs, Emily Smith of Emerson and Haven Whitney of Searcy were named Presidential Scholar Candidates.
Victoria Hwang of Maumelle was chosen as an Arkansas Times Academic All-Star. A.J. Navarro of Hot Springs was also nominated.
Arkansas Governor’s Scholastic Honors Award: A.J. Navarro of Hot Springs and Emily Smith of Emerson
Jack Kent Cooke Scholar Finalists: Amanda Carson of Russellville and Caitlin England of Magnet Cove
Arkansas Boys State attendees: Blaine Martin of Texarkana and Solomon Ni of Jonseboro
Arkansas Girls State attendees: Alexx Weaver of Lonoke and Sarah Xie of White Hall
Arkansas Governor’s School attendees: Yoo-Jin Ahn of Jonesboro, Sarah Balenko of Russellville, Madison Esteves of Hot Springs Village, Hadley Medlock of Alma, A.J. Navarro of Hot Springs, Ben Oliver of Jonesboro, Ra Omar of Little Rock and Marley Vincent of Barton.
Gates Millennial Scholarship: Haven Whitney of Searcy
Korean Scholar: Yoo-Jin Ahn of Jonesboro
Horatio Alger Scholar: Amanda Carson of Russellville
National Security Language Initiative for Youth participant: Blaine Martin of Texarkana, who studied in Indonesia during the summer of 2019.
Regeneron Science Talent Search Scholar: Victoria Hwang of Maumelle
Arkansas State University Roberson Memorial Scholarship recipients: Ryan Reynolds of Hampton and Alexx Weaver of Lonoke
Aerojet Rocketdyne Foundation Scholarship: Jesse Easley of Conway and Maria Quintero-Pena of White Hall
University of Arkansas at Fort Smith Myles Friedman Honors Program Scholarship: Sophia McLain of Van Buren
University of Arkansas at Fort Smith Chancellor’s Leadership Council Scholarship: Katrina Smith of Franklin
University of Rochester Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass Award: Lidia Belete of Marion
University of Rochester George Eastman Young Leaders Award: Alex Guo of Jonesboro
University of Rochester Xerox Award: Alyssa Richey of Powhatan
University of Rochester Bausch and Lomb Award: Aviance Haymon of Osceola