On Tuesday, March 16, the Women of Joy enjoyed a tour of the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts in Hot Springs.  ASMSA is a two-year residential high school and is a part of the University of Arkansas Administrative system.  Their focus in on math, computer science, science and humanities, and all courses are taught at the Honors Level or above.  Students enter the school as juniors and live in dormitories away from their homes. The school itself is located in the former St. Joes Hospital on Whittington Ave. 

The group listened to an overview of the school and its academic programs presented by Dr. Janet Hugo, Director of the school.  One of the school’s trademarks is participation in the Intel Science and Engineering Fair.  Each student selects a research topic during their junior year and continues to research this project through the spring of their senior year when they present their projects at the Science Fair. 

The group (lead by Residential Mentor, Kyle McCourt, and two Senior students) was then given a tour of the facility including some of the class rooms, the library which was impressively supplied with computers, a chemistry lab and the dorm rooms.   The library also has a program called “The Book Mafia” which allows the students to preview books that are not yet published to the mainstream and to write book reviews on these books for future reference for other schools.