Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA)

Address
1500 Sullivan Road Aurora , Illinois 60506 United States
Coordinates	41°47′13″N 88°21′17″W / 41.78694°N 88.35472°W / 41.78694; -88.35472
Information
Type	Selective, Public High School Boarding school
Established	July 18, 1985; 40 years ago (1985-07-18)
Founder	Leon Lederman
CEEB code	140177
NCES School ID	170010105114
President	Evan M. Glazer
Chair	Eric Brown
Principal	Angela Rowley
Grades	10–12
Gender	Coeducational
Enrollment	630 (2023–24)
Campus type	Suburban
Color(s)	Navy and Pacific blue.
Athletics conference	Little Ten Conference
Mascot	Titans
Accreditation	Cognia (education)
Newspaper	The Acronym
Yearbook	Gallimaufry

The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, or IMSA, is a special public high school in Aurora, Illinois, United States. It's a three-year school where students live on campus. About 630 students attend IMSA, focusing on STEM subjects.

Students usually join IMSA in their sophomore year (10th grade). However, younger students who have completed a year of algebra and 9th-grade science can also apply. Getting into IMSA is competitive. Applicants share their school records, essays, and test scores (like SAT or ACT). Teachers and counselors also provide evaluations. Historically, about one-third of applicants were accepted each year. Since it's a public school, there are no tuition fees or costs for living on campus. However, there is an annual student fee, which can be reduced or waived for families who need financial help.

History of IMSA
How to Apply to IMSA
Academics and Research
- Student Inquiry and Research (SIR) Program
Programs for the Community
Student Life at IMSA
Student Leadership and Development
- Student Council Activities
Awards and Recognitions
Famous Alumni
See also

History of IMSA

The school was founded on July 18, 1985. Its first president was Stephanie Pace Marshall. She played a big part in creating IMSA's rules and its mission. Marshall retired on June 30, 2007, and was later recognized as President Emerita for her important work.

Over the years, IMSA's budget has grown with support from leaders like Tom Cross. This support helps the school continue its mission of educating talented students in math and science.

How to Apply to IMSA

The front entrance of IMSA.

A science lab classroom at IMSA.

Students who want to attend IMSA usually apply during their freshman year of high school. Sometimes, very bright eighth graders can also apply.

The application asks for several things:

Your school grades from the last two and a half years.
Scores from tests like the SAT or ACT.
Two essays written by you.
Evaluations from your science, math, and English teachers.
A list of any awards you've won and activities you participate in outside of school.

IMSA also has special programs to encourage more students to apply, especially those who might not think about a STEM school. One program is called EXCEL. It's a three-week summer course for some students who are invited to IMSA. It helps them get ready for the challenging classes.

Not all students who start at IMSA stay until graduation. About 85% of students complete their studies there. Some reasons students might leave include finding the courses very challenging, missing their families, or their families moving to another state.

Academics and Research

Students at IMSA take advanced courses that prepare them for college. All classes are taught at an honors level. To graduate, students must earn a certain number of credits in different subjects. Each class that lasts a semester usually counts for 0.5 credits.

IMSA also has many student clubs. These clubs cover a wide range of interests, from religious groups to volunteer work. The Student Council and the Council for Campus Equity help these clubs get started and provide support.

Student Inquiry and Research (SIR) Program

Most Wednesdays are called "I Days" (for "inquiry"). On these days, junior and senior students often work on research projects through the SIR program. The SIR program also runs during the summer. It allows students to explore different research topics.

Programs for the Community

IMSA offers special programs for teachers and students across Illinois. The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) manages these programs. CTL helps students develop skills in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

Some of the programs for students include:

IMSA Fusion: An after-school program.
Summer@IMSA: Summer enrichment programs.
Funshop: Fun workshops for students.
RISE: An online research course open to all Illinois students.
ALLIES: High school students who lead STEM programs.

CTL also offers training for teachers, including professional development for those teaching the FUSION program. They also host an annual "IMSA Teacher Institute Day" for local math and science educators. These programs especially help students who might not always have many opportunities in math and science.

Student Life at IMSA

Student Publications

The Acronym is IMSA's student newspaper. Students write about general school news and events. It used to be printed on paper but became an online newspaper in the 2008–2009 school year. In the 2022-2023 school year, The Acronym started printing editions again, while still keeping its online articles and launching a mobile app. Over 400 students have been writers for The Acronym since it began.

Sports and Athletics

IMSA is part of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA), which organizes most sports and competitions in Illinois. Since the 2021–2022 school year, IMSA has competed in the Little Ten Conference. IMSA's sports teams are known as the Titans.

The school offers many sports for both young men and women:

Young women can also play badminton. IMSA also has a dance team for both young men and women.

Competitive Activities

IMSA students also excel in academic competitions. Here are some of their top achievements in state championships:

Chess: State Champions in 1986–87, 1987–88, 1995–96, 1996–97, 2016–17, 2017–18. They also placed 2nd, 3rd, and 4th many times.
Scholastic Bowl: State Champions in 1988–89, 1989–90, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2000–01, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2016–17, 2021-2022. They also achieved 2nd, 3rd, and 4th places.

Student Leadership and Development

Student Council Activities

The Student Council at IMSA helps connect students with the school's leaders. They work together to make improvements at the Academy. The Student Council website shares information about their projects. They also help new clubs get started each year and provide money for their events. The Student Council gathers feedback from students throughout the year to make sure student voices are heard.

Awards and Recognitions

IMSA is known for its high academic standards. Many students are recognized as National Merit Semifinalists each year. Students also do very well in national science competitions like the Siemens and Intel Science competitions. For example, in the class of 2009, five students were regional finalists and ten others were semifinalists in the Siemens competition.

Several math teachers at IMSA have received the Edyth May Sliffe Award for their excellent teaching. These include Titu Andreescu (1994), Ronald Vavrinek (1995), Micah Fogel (2001), Steven Condie (2002), Michael Keyton (2003), Don Porzio (2004), and Steven Condie again in 2007. There's even an asteroid, 21441 Stevencondie, named after Dr. Condie!

Dr. Lee Eysturlid also received a University of Chicago Outstanding Educator Award in 2020.

Famous Alumni

Many former IMSA students have gone on to do amazing things:

Ramez Naam (1990) - A software developer and author who helped create Microsoft's Internet Explorer and Outlook.
Steven Johnson (1991) - A professor of Applied Mathematics and Physics at MIT.
Scott Gaudi (1991) - An exoplanet hunter and Professor of Astronomy at Ohio State University.
Yu Pan (1995) - One of the co-creators of PayPal and the first employee at YouTube.
Sam Yagan (1995) - Co-founder of SparkNotes and OkCupid, a large online dating site.
Steve Chen (attended IMSA, left before graduating) (1996) - Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of YouTube, and an early engineer at PayPal.
Clara Shih (2000) - A bestselling author, co-founder of Hearsay Social, and a member of Starbucks' Board of Directors.
Sabrina Gonzalez Pasterski (2010) - A theoretical physicist who studies high energy physics at Harvard University.