Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts celebrated a long-time dream come true on Aug. 3, 2010, with a ceremonial groundbreaking of its new Student Life Complex.

“I live by the philosophy that if you don’t ask, the answer will always be ‘no,’” said ASMSA Director Janet Hugo. “This project has been several years in the making with lots of ‘no’s’ before we got to ‘yes.’”

ASMSA is one of 14 public residential high schools in the nation dedicated to the education of academically gifted juniors and seniors. The $21 million complex will include new residence halls, library, dining hall, Residential Life offices and activity rooms, and a nurse’s office.

In 2008 the school began working with Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects in Little Rock to develop a master plan.

“Now, two years later our dream is becoming a reality,” said Hugo.

During her remarks, Hugo thanked the many people who helped make the project possible, especially Gov. Mike Beebe. The governor released $6 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act money for the project, which was the largest allocation of stimulus money given to an educational institution in the state.

The governor attended the groundbreaking ceremony and said, “This is an example of these one-time funds that are well spent.”

The governor added the stimulus money should be used to help create or sustain jobs and the ASMSA project is putting local people to work. Hill & Cox Corporation in Hot Springs is the general contractor for the project and local plumbing and excavating companies have been hired.

University of Arkansas System President B. Alan Sugg said that while he had attended many groundbreaking ceremonies during the last 30 years, he was most excited about turning the first spade of dirt for the construction of the Student Life Complex.

“I am so excited because this residence hall is so desperately needed,” said Sugg.

ASMSA students cheered loudly when he asked them if the new building was needed. “If you don’t believe me, believe them,” he said.

“You are receiving a tremendous education and when you graduate, you will be attending some of the very best universities in our state and nation,” Sugg told the students.

The 2010 graduating class received acceptances to 132 colleges and universities and $10.5 million in scholarships.

The governor encouraged the students to live in Arkansas when they complete college and help make the state a better place to live.

“You have an obligation,” he said. “Arkansas needs the brightest young people around.”

In addition to the stimulus money, the school has an additional $9 million in state General Improvement funds, New Market Tax Credits, and school reserves, which will be enough to complete the residence hall portions of the complex.

The students are currently living in the former St. Joseph’s Mercy Hospital building, constructed in 1927. The age of the building and continued maintenance costs, have made the building inadequate for student living quarters. The school is designed for an enrollment of 250 students, however, due to the condition of the current building, enrollment has been limited to 235 students.

The new residence halls should be complete by the end of 2011 or the beginning of 2012. Students will move into the residence halls in the fall of 2012.

The school is in the process of conducting a study to determine the success of a capital campaign to raise the raise the money needed to complete the Student Life Complex and make other campus improvements. When the complex and renovations are complete, the hospital building will be vacated and the city of Hot Springs has agreed to demolish it.