The Hope Academy of Public Service EAST and HOPEBOTICS robotics programs were showcased prior to the Monday, March 14, meeting of the Hope Public Schools Board of Education at Hempstead Hall on the University of Arkansas-Hope campus. – Ken McLemore/Hope Public Schools
HOPE – The EAST and Robotics programs at Hope Academy of Public Service were showcased in the March Hope Public Schools Board of Education meeting as both programs conclude what has been a year of achievement for HAPS.
HAPS Principal Dr. Carol Ann Duke said the year has been one of academic and student talent highlights.
“We are a ‘Beating the Odds in ELA’ school as identified by the U of A Office of Educational Policy,” Dr. Duke said. “US News and World Report named us one of the top middle schools in Arkansas. We are ranked in the top thirty percent of the 314 middle schools statewide based on math and reading scores.”
Academic growth based upon the ACT Aspire standard test brought the “Beating the Odds” designation, which Duke said is at the heart of the HAPS model.
“The recognition of both these programs indicates the commitment of our staff, students and families have made to early college preparation while supporting the local, regional and global communities with our service projects,” she said.
Duke said the “Advisory class” model at HAPS has been integral in its success.
“I truly believe the cornerstone of our success is our Advisory Program that allows us to develop strong, lasting relationships with students and families that last beyond the four years students are on our campus,” she said.
The program has expanded offerings for HAPS students with a grades 5-8 group of high school credit classes HAPS students may take, including Algebra I, Art, EAST, Survey of Agriculture and Survey of Business, Duke said.
She said the HAPS application has been revised this year to eliminate tardy and discipline from the rubric and has aligned assessment elements with scoring on corresponding standardized tests, as well as open response questions on teacher recommendations.
EAST Program Facilitator Jacqueline Brady presented her student team, including Co-Captains Madison Phillips and Ava Brown, Ivan Sanchez, Lydia Bobo, Grace Easterling, Riley Bramlett, Jorgia Coffee and Julia Bobo.
Phillips gave an overview of the HAPS EAST program year which was to be presented at the annual EAST State Conference in Hot Springs on March 15.
Major EAST initiatives have included continuation of the HAPS Newsletter as an EAST publication; a community-sponsor signage project “HAPS Facelift” to provide screening cover for windows across the front of the building; “Remap HAPS” which updates the building plan for the campus; “Denny’s Place,” an ongoing maintenance of the HAPS Harvest Garden in the outdoor classroom space; and, “Veteran’s Day,” an annual volunteer commitment to the Hempstead County Veteran’s Day Celebration.
HAPS Robotics Sponsor Hosea Born said the Hopebotics team recently competed in the state robotics championships at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, having only one and a half months to build and program the HAPS robots.
Born said the team finished in the top 20 among 100 teams competing in a “coded” competition which lets a robot function along a programmed course of action and an “alliance” competition which requires competing teams to collaborate in order to accomplish assigned tasks in a required exercise.