Governor gives keynote address at STEM high school graduation

SPRINGDALE — The 117 seniors of Don Tyson School of Innovation made history Saturday as the school’s inaugural graduating class, receiving their diplomas in a ceremony at Springdale High School.

The graduation was attended by Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who served as the keynote speaker for the ceremony. The Tyson School is the only high school graduation ceremony the governor spoke at this year.

“The state of Arkansas is proud of your achievements and the difference you have made,” Hutchinson said, noting that the graduates collectively received $2.8 million in scholarships, earned 976 total college credit hours, volunteered about 6,500 service hours and earned five associate degrees from Northwest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville.

The Don Tyson School of Innovation is a technology-rich STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) school, according to its website.

The school’s program best suits students who are creative and like hands-on learning experiences, and is designed for students to develop skills to self-direct their learning, persevere, communicate, work with their peers and to be innovative, Megan Slocum, associate superintendent of curriculum and instruction has said.

“I am very proud of the courage and ambition shown by these students and the commitment of their moms and dads, as well as the DTSOI staff,” said Jim Rollins, Springdale School District superintendent.

Cesar Moradel, 18, of Springdale was one of the first students to attend the school when it began in the 2014-15 school year with only an eighth-grade class. He was also one of the five graduates who received his associate degree May 11 through a partnership with Northwest Arkansas Community College.

Moradel said he would never have experienced such success in school had he not made the decision to attend the Tyson School of Innovation.

Assistant Principal Kelly Boortz said every graduating senior has been placed on a post-graduation path.

Community partnerships are an integral part of the school’s and the students’ success, Boortz said. While a relationship with the community college helped students get degrees, a scholarship program through the Arconic Foundation has ensured that the students had to pay only for their college textbooks. Some students graduated Saturday with associates degrees and no college debt.