Ten students from Garland County were among the 95 who graduated from the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts on May 17 at the Oaklawn Event Center in the school’s 31st annual commencement.
The students were Adrianna Bahner-LaRue, of Jessieville; Ava Beck, of Hot Springs; Lukas Bowler, of Hot Springs; Ty Carmichael, of Hot Springs Village; John Carter, of Hot Springs Village; Lane De Foor, of Hot Springs; Paul Jonsek, of Hot Springs Village; Meera Patel, of Hot Springs, Bao Ngoc (Sarah) Pham, of Hot Springs; and Thor Seay, of Hot Springs.
The graduates, representing 36 counties across the state, earned $25.2 million in scholarship offers, a news release said, bringing the total to $353.7 million over the school’s history.
ASMSA Executive Director Corey Alderdice encouraged the graduates to embrace the power of persistence.
Drawing inspiration from the aftermath of the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, Alderdice recounted how scientists facilitated the recovery of a devastated landscape by introducing pocket gophers to the barren side of the mountain.
The animals were allowed to dig for one day before being recaptured, yet their brief activity set in motion a decades-long process of renewal. Forty years later, the one-day effort helped lead to an ecosystem where more than 40,000 diverse species of life now thrive, the release said.
Alderdice said the gophers did not know they were changing the future, but were simply doing what they do best — digging.
“Maybe you’ll stand up for a cause or pursue a goal or nurture a friendship or follow a dream, and at times it will feel like digging in stubborn, impossible ground,” he said in the release. “Progress might seem invisible, outcomes distant. You might wonder if your effort makes any difference at all. But remember this: even a single day of courageous effort can spark lasting change.
“Every time you choose kindness in the face of cruelty, you are digging. Every time you commit to integrity over convenience, you dig deeper. Every time you embrace curiosity instead of complacency, you turn the earth toward renewal. Life and progress are built upon these daily acts — small but meaningful actions performed again and again and again, even when the results aren’t immediately apparent.”
Giuseppe “Seppy” Basili, executive director of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, served as the keynote speaker. He encouraged the graduates to lead with “confident humility” and embrace a mindset that balances strength with teachability.
He defined it as “knowing your strengths while remaining open to learning, growth and the possibility of being wrong,” and he underscored the importance of being grounded even in the face of success.
“Confidence includes trusting your abilities and judgment; be willing to speak up, lead, and take risks; and to not shrink from challenges,” he said in the release. “Humility is realizing you don’t have all the answers, are open to feedback and other perspectives, and are willing to admit mistakes and keep learning.”
The combination of these two traits, he said, allows individuals to take initiative without arrogance and to remain adaptable and self-aware.
“In short, confident humility is strength without arrogance and humility without self-doubt. Your time at ASMSA has prepared you well. You can and already do exhibit these qualities. If you keep them in mind, you will thrive,” Basili said.
Basili also commended students for their bold decision to attend a residential public high school, acknowledging the challenges and sacrifices involved. Drawing from his own experience as a graduate of a similar school, he praised their ambition and resilience.
Class of 2025 students Karilynn Arellano of Mineral Springs and Hailey Judkins of Benton were student speakers. They each offered reflections on their ASMSA journey and the lasting bonds formed at the school.
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