Last Friday, a group of ASMS Ambassadors volunteered at Mobile’s Senior Bowl Meet the Players event, which was held at the Mobile Convention Center. Ambassadors helped behind the scenes before the event by putting together packets of trading cards featuring Senior Bowl players. During the event, they assisted the players by supplying drinks and markers used to sign the trading cards and other items that fans brought to have signed. Senior Bowl players are National Football League prospects who hope to be drafted this spring.

As ASMS traditions go, Geekfest is perhaps the most important to students. Three times per year, students take part in geeky activities from 10:00 PM until the wee hours of the morning. Geekfest’s roots can be traced back to 2004 when a handful of student leaders organized a large, entertainment-oriented event that involved the whole student body in activities – video games, cos play, card games, and movies. Enjoy the above picture sideshow from January’s Geekfest.

Evonik Industries (formerly Degussa Corporation) has finished its pledge to donate $100,000 to fund a science education laboratory at the Alabama School of Mathematics and Science. Evonik said its contribution is part of the company’s ongoing efforts to help improve education in the communities where it is active. The company has provided installments of $20,000 over the last five years. The ASMS facility, located on the fourth floor of the Science Building, will be named the Degussa-Evonik Chemistry Laboratory. The classroom was dedicated on Tuesday when Evonik Safety and Health Compliance Manager Randy Rogers visited campus. During his visit, chemistry instructor Dr. Elisa Rambo and her students demonstrated equipment purchased with funding from the Evonik grant (see pictures above).

ASMS received $2,500 from Northrop Grumman to help fun its FIRST Robotics Team. Read more about this award in the Mississippi Press here:

By Will Wagner

On Saturday, students and parents woke up early to sweep, rake, pull weeds, and paint ASMS as part of a continuing effort to revamp and beautify the campus.

The clean-up, which lasted from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM, was the second of three planned by the ASMS Ambassadors. Nearly every Ambassador helped during this event, but a few other students volunteered for the service hours and the fresh air. One of the biggest jobs that the crew tackled was painting the base of the Administration, Humanities, Science, and Girls’ Dorm buildings.

“It makes me feel good because I can contribute to the school,” said Ali Fry, an Ambassador.

Many parents also gave up their chance to meet with teachers on Parent Day so that they could help with the clean-up.

“I volunteer over here any way I can, because I love this school. My daughter goes here, and my oldest daughter graduated from here. It was the most wonderful experience she could have,” said Maggie Diamond, a parent volunteer.

Parents who volunteered: Karee Boudreau, Thang Bui, David and Sofina Crosby, Kevin and Maggie Diamond, Mitch and Monica Foster, Mickey and Shelia Hines, Joe and Mary Howard, Dennis and Beverly Murphy, Stacy Reckeweg, Renay Rogers, Marty Sutherland, Herb Wagner, Tim Williamson, and Jim Vogel.

Ambassadors who volunteered: John Chancellor, Sophia Choi, Alisa DeGrave, India English, Ali Fry, Jereme Gallier, Desmond Garner, Matthew Haskell, Katie Howard, Erin Jung, Raghu Kasa, Amit Kumar, Ally Lappe, Kaija Lazda, John LeMaster, Jin-Mi Matsunaga, Edward McAboy, Samual Nelson, Matthew Robson, Tylor Schmitt, Liza Schwieterman, Will Wagner, Irene Wilkerson, Ashton Williamson, and Stephanie Wood.

Other student volunteers: Kelley Foster, Kalee Jones, Brie Lowrey, Aaron Murphy, and Jane Murphy.