Innovation Expanding Imagination MSA Provides Unique Arts and Collegiate Experiences for Mississippi High Schoolers

By Chance Carden

Of Mississippi’s Schools and Districts of Innovation, the Mississippi School of the Arts (MSA) offers a truly unique approach to high school education for juniors and seniors from across the state MSA, located in the heart of Brookhaven in southwest Mississippi, was officially designated as a School of Innovation by MDE for the 2022-23 academic year, though the school was founded through innovative ideas Being one of only nine public, residential art schools in the nation, the distinct educational journey MSA offers students is rivaled by few others�

“Students audition in their tenthgrade year to attend MSA in one of six arts disciplines: dance, literary, me- dia/film, theatre, visual art or vocal music,” stated MSA’s Executive Director, Dr Suzanne Hirsh

“While arts electives are available at all high schools throughout the state, there are no schools with a minimum of three hours daily of arts instruction At MSA the arts are not elective, they are core requirements�”

With the arts being the central focus of the school, students acquire a minimum of eight arts Carnegie Units while at MSA� In addition to their art studies, students take academic courses at MSA as well as Brookhaven High School

“If a student wants a traditional high school experience, they can get that with BHS courses academically and extracurriculars while studying art with MSA,” Hirsh said

“If a student wants a small environment, they can take their classes at MSA where no class has more than 22 students If they want a collegiate experience, they can take their classes through Copiah-Lincoln Community College dual credit/enrollment All students get a conservatory experience in the arts at MSA ”

According to the MSA website, the school averages approximately 125 students from 50 counties from around the state, with an average of 60% applicant acceptance rate each year�

As a residential high school, MSA fosters an immersive culture and environment to prepare students for college and career readiness The school’s student base boasts a 95-99% college attendance rate annually and consistently ranks among the top three in ACT scores in Mississippi MSA also has a 100% pass rate of the US History state test, a 100% graduation rate, and award-winning programs on state, regional and national levels

“Our students come to MSA as average students with a 2 5 GPA or better and the potential for greatness,”

Hirsh explained� “The growth in our students is substantial and many of our programs serve as models for the rest of the state ”

MSA also implemented a Collegiate Academy partnership with Copiah-Lincoln Community College (CoLin) Students who take advantage of the academy can earn an associate degree at no cost to them, though students not in the academy can also take tuition-free dual credit courses through Co-Lin

The model does not come without challenges Hirsh explained how “the Collegiate Academy requires a great amount of time and will require students to be ready to begin when they arrive at MSA As a result, there will likely only be 10% of students who can fully participate With the demands of MSA arts programming on top of a

Collegiate Academy, students will have a high level of expectations to meet ”

Despite these challenges, the benefits make the process worth the effort According to MSA English Teacher, Tobie Lambert, “MSA’s Collegiate Academy impacts our students on many fronts: It effectively transitions students by preparing them for the rigor and expectations of college-level courses, it helps them learn the technological skills necessary to succeed in a collegiate environment, and it sets them on an academic pathway for success that fits their individual plans Our program provides both academic and financial advantages for our students, giving them the opportunity to finish their degrees sooner and with a much lower price tag I am so proud to be a part of something that can make such a lasting impact on our students and their futures ”

MSA also exposes students to an average of fifteen guest artists annually who are practicing in their fields “They stay from 2-10 days, depending upon the residency,” said Hirsh

“[Our] students regularly take trips with their departments to participate in performances, events, and exhibits There are partnerships and collaborations with state agencies — film studios, museums, Mississippi Public Broadcasting, universities and nonprofit organizations to create opportunities for skill building and exposure to careers in the arts,” she said

Keeping with the spirit of excellence, MSA students and staff are consistently awarded in festivals and competitions across the state, as well as both nationally and internationally� Depending on their chosen art discipline, students also travel across the globe for additional industry experiences and learning opportunities, including locations such as New York City, San Francisco, New Orleans, Italy and many other art hubs

MSA’s unique and personalized approach to both art and academic instruction continues to be a shining example of innovation for Mississippi education�