ASMSA students visit HSNP Rotary

About 125 students in the junior class at the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts joined members of National Park Rotary Wednesday for the annual ASMSA Day.

“Each year the Hot Springs National Park Rotary Club invites new members of the junior class to come to one of their meetings to learn a little bit more about the community of Hot Springs and the work of Rotary International,” said Corey Alderdice, director of ASMSA and a Rotarian.

This year’s event coincides with the school’s 25th anniversary. The school was created by Act

259 of the Arkansas Legislature in

1991, with the school’s first group of students’ first day of classes on Aug. 23, 1993.

Alderdice said having students new to the school and community visit the Rotary club is important for getting them acquainted with their new home.

“I think it’s a two-way street, really — Hot Springs is proud to call ASMSA home and ASMSA is proud to be in Hot Springs,” Alderdice said. “Rotary represents the established leaders throughout our community and one of the primary reasons that ASMSA exists is to cultivate that future generation of leaders.”

The Rotary club funds scholarships for area students through the Hot Springs National Park Rotary Scholarship Foundation Trust. Students at ASMSA are eligible for this program as well as others in Garland County schools. In 2018, the club awarded $18,000 in scholarships to applicants.

“The Hot Springs National Park Rotary Club does offer scholarships to graduating Garland County students, including ASMSA students,” Alderdice said. “ASMSA and Hot Springs World Class High School both have Interact clubs which are junior Rotary clubs. So there are already existing ties between the school and the club, as well.”