The Alabama School of Math and Science in Mobile welcomed its largest group of summer campers yet this June, as roughly 790 students from across the state took part in the school’s annual Adventures in Math and Science program. Organizers expanded the camp from two weeks to three this year to meet growing demand, giving participants more time to dive into hands-on coursework and residential life on the Mobile campus.
The camp is open to students as young as sixth grade through those entering their freshman year of high school. Depending on their preference, campers can stay in the dormitories for one to three weeks or commute in for day sessions. Course offerings ranged from computer science and laboratory science to literature and creative writing, with instructors often building in unconventional, hands-on projects to keep students engaged.
One of this year’s most talked-about offerings was an introductory journalism course taught by Natalie Cochran-Murray, an ASMS teacher and University of South Alabama graduate. Students in the class spent the final week of camp interviewing fellow campers about their experiences, producing first-person reflections on what the program meant to them.
For many younger participants, the camp offered a first taste of independence. Several students said simply waking up on their own and getting to class without a parent’s prompting felt like a meaningful milestone. Others described building fast friendships with peers from different corners of Alabama, from Huntsville to Birmingham, who shared similar academic interests but had never met before arriving on campus.
Some campers said the experience reshaped how they think about themselves and their futures. One 15-year-old student from Birmingham described a moment when an older classmate stood up for her after another student was rude, saying the incident taught her to look past first impressions and challenge her own assumptions about people. A younger camper, just 11 years old, said the week marked the first time he had ever shared a dorm room or lived away from home, and that making friends there gave him confidence heading into the school year.
ASMS, a public residential magnet school for gifted students, has long used its summer programming as an early introduction for prospective students who may later apply to attend full-time. Several campers who spoke about their week said they now hope to enroll at the Mobile school for high school, citing the mix of rigorous coursework and the sense of community they found during their short stay.
With record attendance this year, camp organizers said the expanded three-week format allowed for a deeper range of electives while still giving families the flexibility of shorter, week-long stays. The program remains one of the most visible ways ASMS connects with middle and high school students throughout Alabama each summer, well before they ever set foot in a fall classroom.