Health academy
sets up at school
The new Baptist Health Academy of Medical Sciences at Little Rock's Southwest High School will provide its students with curriculum, guest lecturers and medical facility tours as well as job shadowing and internship opportunities.
The academy is the latest addition to the Academies of Central Arkansas, which is an initiative of the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with the four traditional school districts in Pulaski County and area businesses and industries.
The Academies of Central Arkansas uses the national Ford Next Generation Learning model of teaching and learning, which blends core high school academics with career and technical education.
The Academies of Central Arkansas announced the establishment of the Baptist Health Academy of Medical Sciences at an event Friday at Southwest High that featured Little Rock Superintendent Jermall Wright, Baptist Health President and Chief Executive Officer Troy Wells, and Little Rock Little Rock Regional Chamber President and Chief Executive Officer Jay Chesshir.
As a result of the new academy, teachers at Southwest will have opportunities to participate in "externships" at a Baptist Health facility as part of their own professional development. They will have dedicated time to collaborate and plan with their colleagues as well as with business and community leaders.
Baptist Health representatives will guide the creation of a regional industry council and school advisory board, and provide needed equipment and financial resources for carrying out the medical sciences career pathway of study.
Rowing is added
to school's sports
Episcopal Collegiate School in Little Rock has added rowing to its list of sports available for student participation.
As the result of a partnership between the school and the Rock City Rowing club, students can participate in an additional sport that offers the possibility of earning a college athletic scholarship, according to the school's announcement.
Ted Riedeburg will lead the program. Riedeburg is a U.S. Rowing Level 3 instructor who served for more than 10 years as head crew coach at The Bolles School, an independent school in Jacksonville, Fla.
Students in sixth through eighth grades are eligible to join in a junior development program that will focus on skill development, fitness and rowing terminology. High school rowing team members will do competitive racing at regattas in Oklahoma, Texas, and Tennessee.
Episcopal Collegiate currently has seven competitive student rowers.
Head of School Jamie Griffin said the partnership with Rock City Rowing provides a wonderful opportunity for students.
"It is a sport that teaches self-discipline and teamwork, provides a unique connection to nature, and offers tremendous opportunities for collegiate athletic scholarships," Griffin said.
20 from City Year
to mentor students
Twenty recent high school or college graduates will be mentoring and tutoring as many as 3,400 students in four Little Rock School District schools this year through the City Year Little Rock organization.
The City Year Little Rock mentors were participants in a welcoming ceremony at the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce last week, prior to beginning their work at Mabelvale Elementary, Cloverdale Middle, Mabelvale Middle and Little Rock Southwest High School.
City Year is a member of the AmeriCorps national service network.
Four of the mentors and tutors are returning to work in Little Rock for the second year. They are: Jaylun Bullock of North Little Rock, a student at University of Arkansas at Little Rock; Samantha Cameron of Sherwood, a graduate of the University of Arkansas; Demarcus Cosby of West Helena, a student at Pulaski Technical College; and KaBryn Grayson of Little Rock, a graduate of Henderson State University.
The 16 first-year AmeriCorps members working in Little Rock include: Conall Berryhill of Little Rock, a graduate of e-Stem High School; Evan Birdwell of Little Rock, a graduate of LISA Academy; Jewels Dabdub of Fayetteville, a graduate of the University of Central Arkansas; Morgan Fells of Little Rock, a graduate of Joe T. Robinson High; Zasha Hatter of Little Rock, a graduate of Parkview Magnet High School; A'Naya Hensley of Little Rock, a graduate of Hall High School; Caleb "CJ" Jackson of Little Rock, a graduate of Central High School; Sha'Kaya Jackson of Texarkana, Texas, a graduate of the University of Central Arkansas; A'joyah Jones of Little Rock, a graduate of Parkview Magnet High School; and Maria Rognon of Cleveland, Ohio, a graduate of Youngstown State University
The first year members working in Little Rock also include: Ambria Lancaster of Little Rock, a graduate of UALR; Jessica Robinson of North Little Rock, a graduate of UALR; Elise Roden of Little Rock, a student at the University of Central Arkansas; Taylor Stone of Memphis, a graduate of Rhodes College; Addy Troup of Camden, a graduate of Hendrix College; and Miracle Williams, of Little Rock, a graduate of Central High School.
City Year Little Rock has been serving Central Arkansas students since 2004.
Golf tournament
to aid math school
The 2022 Arkansas Fall Golf Classic to benefit the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts will be held Sept. 30 at the Hot Springs Country Club.
The annual scramble tournament is hosted by the Greater Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce. Registration is $500 per foursome. A shotgun start will begin at 10 a.m. Lunch will be provided, and awards and recognitions will immediately follow the event. Registration may be found online at https://asmsa.me/golf2022.
Proceeds from the golf classic support the ASMSA Foundation and its efforts to provide expanded opportunities for ASMSA students and programs such as student travel to competitions and conventions, and resources for student research. The foundation has also assisted students with food insecurity and internet connectivity technologies during the covid-19 pandemic.
The tournament has raised more than $116,000 over eight years for the foundation.
The 2022 Arkansas Fall Golf Classic sponsors include Arvest Bank, which is serving as the lunch sponsor, as well as Fore Sponsors including Aladdin Foods, Bow Tie Wealth Management, CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs and Powers of Arkansas.