Academy would teach math, science to high schoolers / LJWorld.com

Lawrence and Douglas county

Regents decide Fort Hays State will host statewide program

December 20, 2007

Fort Hays State will be home to the new Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Science, the Kansas Board of Regents decided Wednesday.

But the academy will only open if the Kansas Legislature appropriates funds.

"Now the ball is in the legislators' court to fund the proposal," Fort Hays President Edward Hammond said. "Kansas is already kind of late coming to this."

Missouri and Oklahoma - and more than a dozen other states - have math and science academies.

In Kansas, the academy would bring 40 of the brightest public school students from across the state to Fort Hays for the last two years of their high school education. Another 10 slots would be reserved for private, home-schooled and international students. They would earn high school diplomas and an associate's degree focusing on math and science.

The academy will go beyond science and math education.

"For instance, our program has a class that is on the seven revolutions, based on the evolution of man," Hammond said. "There will also be a strong emphasis on developing writing skills across the curriculum."

The program, which Hammond hopes will start in fall 2009, will cost about $2 million a year when operating at full capacity.

Hammond said the Legislature would provide less than half that. The balance would be covered by private donors and state funds normally funneled to the student's home district.

Regents chairwoman Christine Downey-Schmidt said this program was crucial if Kansas wants to retain academically talented students. "It is vitally important to our state's future that our best and brightest students be nurtured in an environment that will encourage them to either stay in Kansas or return to Kansas upon completion of their studies," she said.

Kansas State, Emporia State and Butler County Community College also applied to host the program.

Discussion

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20 December 2007
at 8:02 a.m.

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woxy (Anonymous) says…

I wonder if this location will be attractive enough to students from areas like Wichita, Lawrence, Topeka, Kansas City, etc. Just because a kid is a math and/or science geek doesn't mean they don't also have sports and/or music or other extracurricular involvements in their hometown that might not necessarily be available in Hays.
20 December 2007
at 8:23 a.m.

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Ragingbear (Anonymous) says…

This will be important as these skills are no longer taught in High School.
20 December 2007
at 8:29 a.m.

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deskboy04 (Anonymous) says…

Another giant waste of money!
20 December 2007
at 8:45 a.m.

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salad (Anonymous) says…

Your reward for being talented in science & math?

….Hays,KS!!! I can already see kids around the state intentionally dumbing down so they don't get sent to academic prison camp in Hays.
“…but mom, dad, what did I do wrong?!?! I don't wanna go live in the wasteland!!! My regular school is enough of a prison as it is!! Please don't make me go! pleeeeeese!!!!”
20 December 2007
at 12:04 p.m.

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LogicMan (Anonymous) says…

Seems like yet another “Welfare for Ph.D.s” program …

Isn't what's really needed are more new, well-prepared K-12 math and science teachers? Couldn't that $2 million be used for such, and have a much greater impact (many more students taught per year)? Requiring the recipients of the funds to teach in Kansas for five years immediately after graduation seems appropriate.
20 December 2007
at 12:05 p.m.

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MyName (Anonymous) says…

I'm sorry, madmike, I'm sure there are lots of wonderful things about Ft. Hays… Maybe…. Probably……..
20 December 2007
at 1 p.m.

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truthhurts (Anonymous) says…

How does this keep the students in Kansas after college? Why wouldn't they be just as likely to leave?

20 December 2007
at 1:47 p.m.

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woxy (Anonymous) says…

>>I see that the snobbish, Lawrence attitude id showing again!<<

I made the original comment about Hays. However, having grown up in western Kansas (i.e., west of Hays) I do know what I am talking about. I also have direct concerns as this is something that might appeal to my child-but how do you have an orchestra in a school of 50 students? Will they? Does Hays have a youth orchestra that would be in any way comparable to a school orchestra? What kind of non-school sports do they have to offer? I'm betting not many, and a school with 50 students will not have sports teams. Will the students be allowed to compete on the Hays High sports teams, or join the Hays High orchestra? What non-school venues are there for teens interested in the arts, such as drama, etc?

My child's particular sport is one I'm fairly sure they don't offer at Hays High (swimming) and although there is club swimming in Western Kansas, it is by necessity a spread-out club. If she would be in Hays without a parent, how would she continue? I think these are valid concerns that have nothing to do with Lawrence snobbery.

The idea of spending your last years of school with the other 49 most talented kids in a certain field has some appeal. But giving up all other activities to do so dampens the appeal.

I'm not talking about JoCo kids missing having a mall-they have a mall in Hays. I am talking about the problem of expanding opportunities in one area while cutting them off in others.

I have no reason to think this will keep talented Kansas students in Kansas for college or after, though.
20 December 2007
at 1:59 p.m.

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justthefacts (Anonymous) says…

I agree that anyone who automatically dismisses Ft. Hays as not cosmopolitan enough is elitist/snobby - and ill informed - but then their children are probably the same, so they won't be interested anyway.

FYI - Hays has long been known as a fun place. They really know how to throw a party there! LOL. But that is not what convinced the Board of Regents to choose this location over the others that wanted the honor. Ft. Hays won the chance to do this up against all the other schools, based upon what they have to offer as a total package. That included an already thriving relationship with international universities, such as in China, whose students are now attending Ft. Hays because of the course work offered there. And there will be plenty of students who will want to attend. One of the components of the proposed program will be mentoring with existing universities, so that by the time the 18 year old is ready to get on with formal college (note: with an associate's degree already earned) they will have a good working relationship with professors and counselors from all the Kansas institutions.

The goal is to get and keep bright minds in Kansas, for all our sakes! Anyone with a better suggestion, feel free to write up the proposal and give it to the Board of Regents or Legislature!
20 December 2007
at 2:28 p.m.

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KU_cynic (Anonymous) says…

Having a 40-student institute at Ft. Hays is idiotic. Instead, why not have programs centered in Wichita and KCK/Johnson County - the state's two big population centers? Surely there's a critical mass of talented students in those two areas who can live at home, leverage the local resources of WSU, KU, community colleges, etc., and still attend their regular high schools for other classes and extra-curricular activities while taking advantage of specially targeted classes and activities at a science/math academy. If regional equity is an issue, then offer scholarships for room and board to qualified applicants from other cities and regions of the state.

After getting the bugs out in Wichita and KCK/Johnson County over a few years (at least three or four) it would then be time to try to build out to other less populated cities and areas — either literally or virtually.

This isn't Lawrence or big-city snobbery, it's a simple matter of economies of scale, cost effectiveness, and sensitivity to the fact that parents want their teenagers at home (and most teenagers want to stay close to their childhood friends).
20 December 2007
at 2:44 p.m.

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Logan5 (Anonymous) says…

“In Kansas, the academy would bring 40 of the brightest public school students from across the state to Fort Hays for the last two years of their high school education.”

They surely do not plan to board the kids and provide guardians. Does Fort Hays not already provide accredited college level science and math classes for their high school students like Lawrence? It seems that this program could only marginally benefit those the live close by.
20 December 2007
at 3:01 p.m.

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Confrontation (Anonymous) says…

“The idea of spending your last years of school with the other 49 most talented kids in a certain field has some appeal.”

Actually, I think it would've been pretty boring if the dumb kids weren't around to entertain me in high school ;)
20 December 2007
at 3:24 p.m.

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sci4all (Anonymous) says…

justthefacts hit it on the head: “Anyone with a better suggestion, feel free to write up the proposal and give it to the Board of Regents or Legislature!”

KU didn't apply.

Johnson County Community College didn't apply.

Washburn University didn't apply.

Wichita State didn't apply.

Get the picture?

There were only 4 institutions that cared enough about these kids wasting their talents to come up with a proposal. In the eyes of the selection committee the FHSU package was the best.

Sure, it's easier to bitch and moan anonymously than to actually do something about it … like contacting those institutions and finding out why they didn't bother applying. Much more productive than mindlessly bashing western Kansas.
21 December 2007
at 6:47 a.m.

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sci4all (Anonymous) says…

BTW, woxy, if you do some googling you'll find that Hays may have changed a bit since you left the area.

Orchestra: Western Kansas String Academy
http://www.fhsu.edu/wksa/

(and yes, Hays High School has an orchestra, too - http://www.hayshighindians.com/Academ… )

Swimming: Yes, there's club swimming. Hays High School does have a swim team, although it doesn't seem to be as popular as wrestling or bball. http://www.hayshighindians.com/Athlet…
21 December 2007
at 7:37 a.m.

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woxy (Anonymous) says…

Thanks, sci4all. Good information to keep in mind if the subject comes up. I know about the club swim team (because not being in high school yet that's what my daughter does) but didn't think Hays High would have one. That being said, the high school season is short and most club swimmers swim year round.

I think it was really generous of you to do my research for me, and I appreciate it. I suspect you are a science teacher (from your concern, and from your screenname) and if my guess is right, I bet your students are lucky to have you.

21 December 2007
at 7:45 a.m.

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woxy (Anonymous) says…

Also …

I am amused that your swimming link took me to the boys' swim team. Are you assuming that my talented mathematician is a boy? I just switched over and checked out the girls' team. I do appreciate the links.
29 December 2007
at 2:18 a.m.

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Emily214058 (Anonymous) says…

In response to the comments on how many kids would want to go away from their families to Fort Hays just to go to a special school. I just want to say that I am in the 7th grade and when i got to high school I hope to be able to go to the Kansas Academy of Science and Math. I used to live in Oklahoma and hope to go to the Oklahoma school like this one, but I was forced to move because my mother is in the Marine Corps. If I was able to go to this school it would make me REALLY happy. My current school is in a small town. There are only 50 kids per grade level. We don't have a Gifted and Talented program so I am constantly bored in my classes. I played the violin before I moved here, but it is so small that they can't have an orchestra.I want to be challenged and have fun going to school. I hope they get the funding. Just for the kids that actually want to go to school.