ASMSThe Alabama School of Mathematics and Science

Successfully educatingAlabama’s

future leaders since 1989

WE ARE ALABAMA’S

HIGH SCHOOL

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The Alabama School of Mathematics and Science is our state’s only fully public and residential high school for sophomores, juniors, and seniors seeking advanced studies in math, science, and the humanities. TUITION, ROOM, AND BOARD ARE FREE.

Nestled in Mobile’s beautiful Old Dauphin Way Historic District, ASMS was founded by the Alabama State Legislature in 1989 to better prepare Alabama’s future leaders. ASMS also enjoys partnerships with business and industry. While the operating budget is supplied by the state, the facility is owned and maintained by the ASMS Foundation, a charitable group that receives donations from businesses, individuals, and other foundations.

OUR MISSION Founded in a rigorous math and science curriculum with emphasis on responsible leadership, the Alabama School of Mathematics and Science develops the full potential of exceptional students from across the state of Alabama, first serving the needs of those without local access to challenging educational opportunities.

In today’s global economy, science and technology are becoming increasingly important. To succeed in this highly technological and information-based society, students need to develop their capabilities in math, science, and computing to a level higher than what was acceptable in the past. An education from ASMS will lead students into promising careers in computing, medicine, and other well-paying science-based careers. Let us prepare your student for a promising future.

• Cost: $0 (tuition, room, books, and board are FREE; students pay only an activity fee, which covers non-academic and student-centered events such as the yearbook, class trips, Prom, Winter Formal, and Geekfest).

• Since 2000, ASMS grads have earned nearly $150 million in merit-based scholarships.

• 100 percent of ASMS grads are accepted to college.• More than half of our faculty members hold a doctoral or terminal degree;

all have earned at least a master’s degree.• The average class size is 16 students. However, many Directed Research

courses have less than five students. • Students have represented all 67 Alabama counties during the school’s

history. • ASMS has enrolled 135 National Merit Finalists since 1993.

WHY MATH AND SCIENCE?

2013 ACT Comparison

ACADEMICS

The small class sizes at ASMS encourage in-depth learning, thoughtful discussions, and close interactions with our distinguished faculty.

The academic year is divided into three terms, each lasting 11 weeks. Students enroll in a minimum of five academic courses per term. Although classes convene every day of the week, individual courses only meet four days per week for 55 minutes each day, allowing for labs to run longer on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

All science classes meet an additional two hours per week for labs. Students earn 0.5 credit for each course completed. In Advanced Placement (AP) courses, students enroll for all three terms. Students must successfully complete 27.5 Carnegie units to satisfy graduation requirements.

Students are also given the opportunity to earn college credit accepted by many institutions, including the University of South Alabama, the University of Alabama, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, among others.

ASMS students typically raise their ACT

scores by 4-6 points – or more – before they graduate. They tend to score well on the ACT test because it measures what students have learned during high school. A high ACT score dramatically increases a student’s chance of attracting college scholarship offerings.

Here is a sampling of advanced courses offered at ASMS: Human Genetics, Field Botany, Organic Chemistry, Astronomy, Multivariable Calculus, The Dystopian Novel, Mechanical Engineering, Creative Writing, Advanced Prose Writing, American Pop Culture, Graphic Design, Print Making, Photography, Number Theory, Zoology, Comic Book Heroes and History, Ornithology, American Jazz & Musical Theater, Inorganic Chemistry, Aerodynamics, Advanced German, Advanced Spanish, Advanced French, Java, C++, Biochemistry, World War II, and American Minority Relations.

AP courses offered: American History, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science A, English Literature & Composition, Environmental Science, Physics B, Physics C (Electricity & Magnetism and Mechanics), and Studio Art (2-D Design, 3-D Design, and Drawing).

“The secret in education lies in respecting the student.”–Ralph Waldo Emerson

The ASMS faculty is an accomplished group of educators who put student learning first. More than half hold terminal degrees in their field and all have earned at least a master’s degree.

But beyond these credentials, what distinguishes our faculty is the fact that they care about each and every student’s wellbeing and academic engagement. It is not unusual for instructors to stay after class to mentor and tutor students who may need a little help or clarity.

In fact, our faculty will even design and offer classes based on student interest. Directed Reading courses are typically intended for students who seek a deeper knowledge of the subject. Directed Research courses

involve intensive investigation of a topic or subject, taken under the direction of a faculty member who mentors a student’s research. This work customarily involves a variable number of contact hours and will often result in a major paper or article, detailing the results of the investigation that has been undertaken. With faculty approval, a student may receive transcript credit for these courses. Here are a few Directed Reading and Research courses that have been offered in recent history: Crystallography, Ornithology, Pyrotechnics, Firewire (student newspaper), Problem Solving, Boolean Algebra, Topology, and Mathematical Origami.

FACULTY

ASMS offers a comprehensive Residential Life program, which includes student government, athletics, clubs, and student publications.

Since all students live on campus, numerous opportunities exist for tutorials, guest lectures, field trips, and visits to local cultural events, as well as to educational and scientific institutions. While it is expected that ASMS students work hard, we expect them to play hard, too.

Extracurricular activities include: Mardi Gras Ball, Goofy Olympics, Spirit Week, Geekfest, movies, Stress Fest, on-campus swimming, intramural sports, restaurant trips, Winter Formal, shopping mall runs, Ultimate Frisbee, Prom, beach volleyball, weight lifting, dorm competitions, and much more.

Many of these activities are sponsored and organized by the Student

Government Association, and therefore, students play a chief role in planning their own fun.

ASMS students are also committed to community involvement. Each year ASMS students collectively spend more than 4,500 hours volunteering their time throughout the Mobile area. Whether tutoring elementary students, helping with food drives, building Habitat for Humanity homes, rescuing animals, giving blood, or feeding the homeless, ASMS students understand the importance of giving back to their community.

The culture of volunteerism, so deeply ingrained at ASMS, is rooted in a concerted effort by the school to teach students that helping others is an important character trait in successful leaders. In fact, many students volunteer on a weekly or monthly basis.

CAMPUS LIFE

“There are two educations. One should teach us how to make a living and the other how to live.”

–John Adams

DORM LIFE

One of the greatest benefits ASMS offers is the opportunity to live among students who share a passion for learning. All students live in spacious dormitories under the supervision of a professional staff trained to work with students to build self-esteem, reduce stress, increase self-awareness, develop communication skills, manage time, and clarify goals and values. In the long run, our students learn life skills that make the transition to college seamless.

Although adult Hall Advisors and Residential Assistants live in the dorms and mentor our students, we also have a Resident Life Support Team of students who are trained listeners and mediators. They assist students in adjusting to life at ASMS and in dealing with roommate conflict. RLSTs help hall staff monitor bathroom duty and plan activities for their hall. They also help promote hall spirit and a sense of harmony and community throughout the dorms.

Each of the four halls in the Boys’ Dorm and the Girls’ Dorm are named after famous scientists: Curie, DaVinci, Einstein, and Newton. These halls also

comprise teams in hall competitions that happen throughout the school year. At the end of the year, the hall that has accumulated the most points wins the hall competition.

Girls’ DormThe girls’ dorm is a four-story building with eight halls and eight spacious bathrooms. Each floor has a common area that features comfy furniture, flat-panel TVs, kitchenettes, and other comfortable amenities. All rooms accommodate two students and feature two beds, two armoires, two nightstands, and two desks. Students enjoy the privilege of decorating their own dorm rooms. Refrigerators are permitted.

Boys’ DormThe boys’ dorm is a two-story building with four hallways. Each room accommodates two students and features two beds, two armoires, two nightstands, and two desks. There are also two large common lounges with kitchens on each floor. This area is accessible during certain hours of each day. There are also large community bathrooms on each floor.

Doctor? Lawyer? Engineer? Teacher? Artist? What will you do after ASMS? One thing is for sure: ASMS graduates are uniquely prepared for college. Upon arrival, students are assigned an Academic and College Counselor and begin working on the college application process. The counseling staff goes to great lengths to match an individual’s interests, personality, and academic background to colleges and universities across the country. Personal assistance with scholarships and other types of financial aid is a top priority. In addition, counselors arrange for students to visit with college and university representatives throughout the year. In 2013, the 74 ASMS grads earned $8 million in merit-based scholarships. And, since

2000, seven ASMS grads have earned Gates Millennium Scholarships, which cover tuition and living expenses through graduate school.

AlumniASMS graduates are leaders. Our graduates regularly report tremendous success in college, graduate school, law school, and medical school, as well as life in general. Since 1991, more than 1,900 students have graduated from ASMS. Of those, nearly 40 percent have earned or are working toward an advanced degree. ASMS is proud of its distinguished alumni, and the world is a better place because of who they are, how they think, and what they have accomplished and will accomplish!

LIFE AFTER ASMS

Agnes Scott CollegeAlabama A&M University

Auburn UniversityBates College

Birmingham-Southern CollegeBoston College

Boston UniversityBrown University

Bryn Mawr CollegeCalifornia Institute of Technology

Carleton CollegeCarnegie Mellon University

Colgate UniversityColorado School of Mines

Columbia UniversityCooper Union

Davidson CollegeDuke UniversityEmory University

Florida Institute of TechnologyGeorgetown University

Georgia Institute of TechnologyHarvard UniversityHollins University

Johns Hopkins UniversityLawrence University

Louisiana State UniversityLoyola University New Orleans

Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyMercer University

Middlebury CollegeMillsaps College

Morehouse CollegeMount Holyoke College

New York University

Northwestern UniversityNotre Dame University

Oberlin CollegeOglethorpe University

Olin CollegePrinceton University

Rhodes CollegeRice University

Rochester Institute of TechnologySarah Lawrence College

Smith CollegeSpelman CollegeSpringhill CollegeTulane University

University of AlabamaUniversity of Alabama at BirminghamUniversity of Alabama in Huntsville

University of California, BerkleyUniversity of California, Los Angeles

University of FloridaUniversity of Georgia

University of MississippiUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

University of OregonUniversity of Texas at Austin

University of VirginiaUnited States Air Force Academy

United States Military Academy at West PointUnited States Naval Academy

Vanderbilt UniversityVassar College

Wesleyan CollegeWilliams College

Xavier University of LouisianaYale University

“You have to go wholeheartedly into anything in order to achieve

anything worth having.” –Frank Lloyd Wright

A short list of some of the schools that ASMS students have attended:

“ASMS has given me a future I would have never thought possible. I am who I am, to a great degree, because of my decision to attend.” –Ryan Shelby, Ph.D., Alumnus, 2002

“It is a pleasure to teach students who want to learn. We set lofty expectations and our students continually meet

or exceed them.” –Jenny Arras, Faculty Member

“ASMS is challenging, but I am able to take so many classes that were not offered at my home school. I love being here.” –Jimmy Kim, Student

“I didn’t know if I’d be ready for this, but now I cannot imagine being anywhere else. This is my

home away from home.” –Courtney Daniel, Student

“At first, yes, I was apprehensive, but I knew deep down that ASMS would provide my son with the best education possible. He is happy and so am I.” –Ann Braswell, Parent

“ASMS plays an important role in contributing to the pool of science and technology graduates who will make Alabama more competitive in the future.” –Jo Bonner, Former State Legislator

“ASMS has completely changed my life for the better. I leave feeling completely prepared for college ... and

beyond.” –Kaylin Bowen, 2013 Alumna

ABROAD PROGRAM

ASMS is the only high school in Alabama with active cultural study abroad programs in Münster, Germany and Seville, Spain. Both programs offer a direct immersion exchange with the prestigious Gymnasium Paulinum in Münster and the Colegio Europa in Seville. Each fall, ASMS sends students for a term to either Germany or Spain. Our students are placed in the homes of the foreign students who, in turn, stay on the ASMS campus. ASMS participants have scored well on the

College Board Advanced Placement (AP) exam, often gaining immediate entry into upper-level college language courses or satisfying their college language requirement entirely. Beyond acquiring language skills, students immerse themselves in a new and exciting culture while forging lifelong international friendships. The cost to our students consists only of the plane ticket and some spending money. Our experienced and well-traveled faculty prepares, coordinates, and supervises this program.

ASMS has many clubs that are approved, funded, and supported by the Student Government Association. These clubs are open to all students and represent a wide variety of interests. Some of the official clubs of ASMS include:

Key Club, Allies, Anime, Black Student Union, British Culture Club, Bibles and Brownies, Cheerleading Club, Civil

Air Patrol, Directors’ Guild, Future Business Leaders of America, Chess Team, Free Thinkers of ASMS, Future Engineers’ Club, Garden Club, German Club, History Club, Humane Society Club, IGNITE, IMPACT, Joyful Noise, Lab of Learning, Pre-Med, Scholars Bowl, Weighlifting Club, Women of the World, Multicultural Student Union, Yoga Club, and many more.

CLUBS AND SOCIETIES

The ASMS Student Government Association is comprised of 21 students from all classes. There are six officers comprised of juniors and seniors, and five representatives from each respective class. The SGA helps support, plan, and administer student activities on and off campus, including

student clubs, Prom, and community service. The SGA is also charged with administering a budget of roughly $30,000 for these various activities. SGA elections happen each spring after candidates run campaigns and give speeches at a school-wide assembly.

SGA

“The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.”

–Aristotle

At ASMS, diversity is not just a lofty idea. Our campus features a wide range of cultural, racial, socioeconomic, and social perspectives, helping students to experience and appreciate true diversity. Nearly 1/3 of our students identify themselves as members of ethnic minority groups.

DIVERSITY

At ASMS, physical health does not have to take a backseat to classroom studies. Nearly half of all ASMS students participate in a varsity sport. ASMS offers varsity basketball, volleyball, soccer, cross country, and tennis.

Our fine arts and music programs offer opportunities for students to discover and develop artistic talents. Many of ASMS’s academically oriented students are also talented artists and performers. At ASMS, art, music, creative writing, and theater are available for academic credit as well as on an extracurricular basis. Private piano and guitar lessons are also available (for a fee).

ATHLETICS

THE ARTS

Each year students take a break from their regularly scheduled course load to participate in Special Projects Week. During this time, students and teachers delve into a specific area of concentration. Although most Special Projects take place on campus, many occur off campus. Over the past five years, groups of students have traveled to China, Costa Rica, Italy, Mexico, Florida, Germany, New Orleans, New York, France, The Appalachian Trail, Ireland, and Spain.

Here is a sampling of on-campus offerings: Wild West Through Film; Alabama’s Oddities and Curiosities: A Little About the Great State in Which We Live; Creative Writing Workshop; Intro to Linguistics, Creative Photoshop; Culturetopia: Exploring Constructs of Popular Culture; Exploring New Urbanism along the Gulf Coast; Games People Play: Game Theory in Life, Business, and Beyond; Investigating the Detective: Batman and American Culture; Habitat for Humanity; Holography; Robot Build; Storytelling: Children’s Book or Journal (French and German); Trebuchet: Medieval Physics; Wall Street Week; and Web Design.

SPECIAL PROJECTS

“The mind is not a vessel to be filled,but a fire to be ignited.”

–Plutarch

Cycle LegASMS student Parker Owen built a fully functional prosthetic leg out of a $20 thrift-store bike. His invention won the 2013 FIRST Robotics Future Innovator Award, sponsored by the Abbott Fund. “It is actually comparable to an $80,000 professional leg,” he says. Owen’s leg took him five hours to build. Nearly every part of the bicycle is used to create a foot, movable ankle and knee, ligaments, and a sling to attach the prosthetic to the leg.

Cancer ResearchTwo years ago, ASMS students Hollis DeLaney and Alex Ketchum conducted research at The University of South Alabama Mitchell Cancer Institute for the national Siemens Competition. They worked in the Flow Cytometry lab in collaboration with Bristol-Meyers Squibb “doing high-throughput drug screening with an experimental drug that utilizes smoothened inhibitors to hinder cancer cell proliferation,” says Ketchum.

RoboticsThe ASMS Robotics Team actively participates in major competitions each year. The goal is to apply what is learned in the classroom – programming, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and robotics – in a fun learning environment that helps encourage science, technology, engineering, and math across our campus and our community.

WE ARE INNOVATORS

The ASMS Parent Association is a strong, committed, and vital partner in the school community. Its mission is to support the educational goals of the school, facilitate communication between families and staff, and provide a warm and inviting social environment for all members of the community. There are many ways to be in-volved, and the ASMS PA welcomes and encourages participation. The PA leader-ship consists of a president and at least eight area representatives who act as liaisons between parents and the administration. Each year the PA conducts one fundraiser that is typically held in the fall during the school year’s first Parent Weekend.

FOR PARENTS

As ASMS traditions go, Geekfest is perhaps the most important to students. Three times each year, students take part in “geeky” activities from 10:00 PM until the wee hours of the morning. Geekfest provides students an opportunity to release their inner geekiness (even if some deny having any) and gives them the opportunity to indulge in all things geek related. Geekfest’s roots can be traced back to 2004, when a handful of student leaders organized a large, entertainment-oriented event that involved the whole student body. Here are a handful of the more popular Geekfest activities: watching anime movies and TV shows; playing video, computer, card, and board games; dressing up like your favorite game, TV, or movie character; and just hanging out with friends.

G E E K F E S T

In the late 1980s, a group of concerned citizens banded together in Mobile to develop an advanced high school that could draw students from each county in the state. Many in this group belonged to Mobile United, a service organization focused on solving community challenges. One of the most notable members of the founding group was Ann Smith Bedsole, the first Republican woman to be elected to the Alabama House of Representatives and a member of the ASMS School Board and Foundation Board of Directors. Other notable supporters have included Senator Jeff Sessions and Representative Steve McMillan. McMillan has also served on both the ASMS School Board and Foundation Board of Directors.

In 1989, the state legislature approved a bill creating ASMS and gave the school’s founders $300,000 in start-up funds to hire faculty and staff and to purchase books and office equipment. Shortly thereafter, the ASMS Foundation, a non-profit organization located in Mobile that receives donations from businesses, industries, individuals, and other foundations, was created to raise additional funds to purchase a school campus and to furnish labs

and dorm rooms. The 15-acre ASMS campus sits on the former site of Mobile Dauphin Way Baptist Church, although it has been heavily modified and refurbished. The first students arrived in 1991, while much of the campus was under construction. Since that time, the ASMS Foundation has overseen the renovation of every building on campus as well as the construction of a boys’ dormitory and the Ann Smith Bedsole Library.

ASMS benefits from a unique partnership between the state of Alabama and the business and industry communities. A roughly $6 million operating budget for the school is supplied by the state. The campus, however, is owned and maintained by the ASMS Foundation, which also raises money for the operating budget and other projects. Since the school was established, the foundation has raised nearly $17 million, much of which has been spent on capital-improvement projects. The ASMS School Board governs the school. The Alabama governor appoints nine of the board’s 21 members. Of those nine appointees, seven are appointed to represent congressional districts, and two are appointed to represent the Mobile-Baldwin County area. Although ASMS receives state funding, the school does not fall under the jurisdiction of the state school board. The ASMS School Board employs a president to administer the school.

OUR HISTORY

“The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination...”

–Albert Einstein

Do I have to be a “genius” to be accepted to ASMS? Absolutely NOT! The ASMS community consists of students who are intelligent and work hard for academic success.

Is the campus secure? Yes, a professionally trained security staff is on duty 24/7. We also employ a camera system to monitor the campus. At night, there are guards stationed in both dorms.

Is there computer/Internet access? We offer computer labs and free Wi-Fi access throughout the campus.

What are dorm rooms like? Each room houses two students. Rooms are furnished with an extra-long twin bed, night stand, dresser, chair, and desk for each student. Residence halls have community bathrooms on each floor.

What are the curfews? During school nights, residents must be in their dorm by 9:00 PM and in bed by midnight. On weekends, students must be in their dorm room by midnight and in bed by 1:00 AM.

Is there transportation? Yes, the ASMS staff will transport students

to important appointments and social activities, including van runs to shopping centers. Students can also pay to ride a charter bus that drops them off at specific points on I-65 during breaks.

Is there a dress code? Although students do not wear uniforms, offensive or revealing outfits are prohibited.

Are there local churches students can attend? Yes, there are roughly 20 within walking distance, while others provide rides.

Can students go home? Students have only one or two required weekends on campus. They may check out during all other weekends.

What about food? Three well-balanced meals are provided in the cafeteria each day. Snack machines are located throughout the campus. Refrigerators are allowed in dorm rooms. Dorms also have microwaves. Within walking distance: Starbucks, Taco Bell, Saucy-Q, Waffle House, Winn Dixie (grocery), Domino’s, McDonald’s, Hardee’s, Checkers, Walgreens, Rite Aid, to name a few.

QUESTIONS?

HOW TO APPLY Applying to ASMS is free and easy. Please visit our website, www.asms.net, to begin the online application. Completed applications are due in February (check our website for exact date). Any current Alabama 9th or 10th grader can apply to ASMS. Students are selected through a competitive process that considers several factors. Promising candidates will be interviewed on the ASMS campus and offered admission in April. We admit more sophomores than juniors. The Admission Selection Committee evaluates three areas:

1. Academic Achievement: as indicated by high school and 8th-grade grades and standardized test scores. All applicants MUST have a current ACT (+ writing) score. The ASMS ACT Code is 4707. 2. Maturity: as evidenced in personal statements, recommendations, and a scheduled interview on the ASMS campus with a member of the faculty or staff. 3. Achievement Through Activities: as demonstrated by involvement, contributions and leadership in school, community, and/or religious organizations.

MORE QUESTIONS? FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US!

John HoyleDirector of

Special Servicesjhoyle@asms.net

251.441.2128

Peggy PartridgeAdmissions Coordinator

ppartridge@asms.net251.441.3250

Dr. Monica MotleyDirector of

Student Servicesmmotley@asms.net

251.441.2142

Alabama’s High School

The Alabama School of Mathematics and Science

1255 Dauphin StreetMobile, Alabama 36604251.441.2100www.asms.net

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