ASMS held its prom on Saturday night at the Mobile Convention Center. The ASMS Prom King and Queen were Seniors John Chancellor and Lena Zhang.
A very special place on the campus of the Alabama School of Mathematics and Science is the stairwell in the Administration Building, as it is lined with large photographs that feature each graduating class since 1993.“It is awe-inspiring to walk up the stairs and contemplate the extent that ASMS has made a positive difference in so many lives,” says ASMS President Dr. Larry Turner. “I never underestimate just how foresighted the founders of this school were. When graduates come back to campus, I have noticed that they enjoy spending time in that stairwell.”
In the late 1980s and amid a backdrop of news about poorly performing high schools, a group of determined Mobilians joined together to establish an advanced high school that would enroll students from across the state and train them to become Alabama’s future leaders. In 1989, the Alabama State Legislature approved a bill creating the Alabama School of Mathematics and Science and gave the school’s founders $300,000 in start-up funds to hire faculty and staff and to purchase books and office equipment.
1993! A movie ticket cost $4.00. “Jurassic Park” was box office king. Whoomp! (There It Is) blasted over the airwaves. “Home Improvement” was the most popular sitcom on TV. The average cost of new car was $13,000. The novel “The Bridges of Madison County” was a top seller. Tuition to Harvard University was $23,514.00. “Beavis and Butt-Head” made its debut. And, most importantly, ASMS graduated its first class! Here’s a look at a handful of graduates from the Inaugural Class of 1993.
THOMAS YOUNG
“It’s hard to believe it has been 20 years since I graduated from ASMS,” admits Young, who works for ModernTech Corporation as an Application Engineer in Childersburg, AL. “Being a part of the first graduating class at ASMS is an awesome feeling. It’s always great being the first to accomplish something.”
Young also explains that ASMS prepared him for college and beyond and that he credits the school most for teaching him how to be resourceful. “I can still smell the tar on the roof as we were heading into the gym for lunch,” he says. “It didn’t always go well with what was for lunch. I also remember how great it felt to move into the guys dorm the second year. We felt like kings.”
With the ASMS Prom just around the corner, ASMS students practiced ballroom dance moves in the gym with professional instruction from David Miner’s Ballroom Dancing Studio. Director of Student Services Dr. Monica Motley and Chem instructor John Petty even boogied down!
Last weekend, 38 members of the Women of the World club traveled to Destin, FL for a fun-filled weekend. Their activities included watching the premier of “Think Like A Man,” shopping at the outlet malls, dinner and an Alligator show at Fudpucker’s, laser tag at FAT daddy’s, and time in the sun and sand on the beach. This retreat also had an educational component, with sessions held on various topics concerning women’s issues. The club’s sponsor is Helen Clark.
