FARMINGTON -- Sophomore Claudia Oxford brought out a good point in responding to Gov. Asa Hutchinson's presentation during a school assembly at Cardinal Arena on May 8.
The governor harped on the need for students to learn and become skilled in computer coding to fill industry demands for jobs in the future.
"I thought it was an awesome thing to look into and if you went into it with an open mind, it would most likely strike your interest cause I know it struck mine," Oxford said. Then she added her insight into how computer science classes can be good for a school such as Farmington (which is just finishing the first year as a member of the 5A West, with smaller enrollment than the majority of schools they compete against): "For Farmington to have that will most likely increase the population."
Farmington assistant football and softball coach Steve Morgan said this is the second time in his tenure as part of the staff that the school has been visited by an Arkansas governor. Former Gov. Jim Guy Tucker stopped by the school in the summer of 1996, when school was out for summer. Morgan recalls Farmington had received some sort of grant.
The latest school enrollment numbers released by the Arkansas Activities Association showed no changes in classification for west Washington County schools. Farmington is about to complete their first calendar year as a 5A school and will remain so for 2016-2018 cycle. Farmington is listed as the 59th largest Arkansas high school with a projected enrollment of 538 (grades 10-12), smaller than every public school in Class 5A except Camden Fairview (515), DeQueen (502) and Morrilton (502). Two private schools, Little Rock Christian (406) and Pulaski Academy (301) are also in 5A.
Other factors that make Farmington attractive to prospective students or families relocating to northwest Arkansas are the additions of Cardinal Arena and the Tonya McCuistion Performing Arts Center, both of which opened in January.
Locally, the biggest conference change is with West Fork (303) jumping to 4A. Booneville, 2013 4A state football champion, also returns to 4A after two seasons of competing among the 3A ranks. Prairie Grove (441) is the 71st largest high school in Arkansas and No. 7 among 4A schools in student enrollment.
Lincoln, with a projected enrollment of 319, checks in at 104th on the list and will remain in 4A for a third consecutive cycle after coming up from 3A in 2012. Only a total of five public schools in 4A have a smaller enrollment than Lincoln: Cave City (312), Dewitt (305), Harrisburg (304), West Fork (303), and Booneville (297).
Sports on 05/20/2015