School news in brief
Lakeside class plans 40-year reunion
Lakeside High School’s class of 1977 will celebrate its 40-year reunion July 29 with an event at Arc Isle.
Alumni are welcome to bring boats, jet skis and lawn chairs for a day of fun and relaxation.
Call Susan Rima at 501-6220180 or Scott Smith at 501-520-8500 for more information.
Cash, Tate earn SAU Tech honors
CAMDEN — Bailey Cash and Tyler Tate, both of Hot Springs, were recently named to the chancellor’s list for the spring semester at Southern Arkansas University Tech.
Cash is a Multimedia Technology major.
Tate is majoring in Aviation Maintenance Technology.
The chancellor’s list includes students registered for 12 hours or more of college-level credit for the semester who received a 4.0 grade-point average.
Lakeside alum makes Baylor’s dean’s list
WACO, TEXAS — Cassandra Exum, a 2014 graduate of Lakeside High School, was among more than 3,700 Baylor University students named to the dean’s academic honor roll for the spring semester.
To be named to the dean’s list, a student must be an undergraduate with a minimum grade-point average of 3.7 while enrolled in a minimum of 12 semester hours.
Exum graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from Baylor’s College of Arts and Sciences last month during Baylor’s spring commencement exercises.
Harding announces spring graduates
SEARCY — Area graduates were among more than 900 students who received diplomas during Harding University’s commencement exercises after the spring semester.
Graduates included students from the College of Allied Health, College of Arts and Humanities, College of Bible and Ministry, Paul R. Carter College of Business Administration, Cannon-Clary College of Education, Carr College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy and College of Sciences. Local students to graduate were:
Hot Springs
Nicole Davenport, Master of Education in Reading, magna cum laude; Austyn Irwin, Bachelor of Arts in General Studies.
Hot Springs Village
Eric Whittington, Master of Business in Administration in Management and Business Ethics, magna cum laude.
Mount Ida
Shelby Breedlove, Bachelor of Arts in General Studies; Seth McBride, Bachelor of Arts in Kinesiology.
SAU to host third game development camp
MAGNOLIA — Southern Arkansas University will host its third annual Game Development Summer Camp July 24-27 for high school students entering grades 10-12.
The entry fee is $325 per participant. Applications must be submitted online at https://web. saumag.edu/game-camp/ by July 14. Questions can be emailed to Rhaelene Lowther at rrlowther@ saumag.edu, or call 870-235-4242.
Students will have the opportunity to learn about game development and design with hands-on activities in programming, design and art in an overnight camp setting. The curriculum will include an introduction to basic coding, game tools and mechanics and character concept art creation; awards in design, art and programming; invited speakers and fun after-hour activities including video game tournaments, board games, and movies.
The camp is sponsored by SAU’s two Computer Game and Animation Design programs for a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with an option in Game Design and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Game Art, Animation and Simulation Design.
Local grads inducted into honor society at U of A
FAYETTEVILLE — Graduates from four local high schools were among top University of Arkansas liberal arts and science students recently inducted into the Alpha of Arkansas chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.
Hot Springs students inducted were George Messersmith, senior Biology major, Lakeside High School graduate, son of Dan and Gina Messersmith; Erik Monson, senior, majoring in Physics and Mathematics, graduate of the Arkansas School of Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts, son of Brian and Karla Monson; Regan Pelloquin, senior, majoring in Anthropology and Biology, Lakeside, daughter of Mark and Amy Pelloquin; Greyson Teague, senior, majoring in History and Political Science, Hot Springs World Class High School, son of William Teague; and Noel Wheeler, senior English major, Lake Hamilton High School, daughter of Hank Wheeler.
All are students in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. Seniors selected for Phi Beta Kappa must have at least a 3.85 cumulative grade-point average enhanced by breadth in coursework, including study in world languages and mathematics.
Coffman named ADE assistant commissioner
LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas Department of Education Commissioner Johnny Key recently announced the appointment of Deborah Coffman as the assistant commissioner of public school accountability effective July 1.
Coffman is currently the ADE chief of staff. She will replace Annette Barnes, who is retiring.
As assistant commissioner, Coffman will oversee the division that provides school improvement, performance and equity assistance, as well as desegregation and standards assurance monitoring. She has served as chief of staff since 2013 and coordinates the agency’s strategic performance management process, serves as the agency liaison to the State Board of Education and provides guidance to the Communications Unit.
Prior to serving as chief of staff, Coffman was the ADE director of professional development from 2006 to 2013. She was previously an instructional specialist in the Pocahontas School District, literacy specialist for the Northeast Arkansas Education Service Cooperative, elementary teacher at Hoxie Public Schools and a teacher at Burris School for Children.