Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology
The Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology is a public special school in Lawrenceville, Georgia, United States, and a part of Gwinnett County Public Schools. Students are admitted through a county-wide lottery, whose participants, since the school dropped its charter status in 2016, must meet certain requirements. It features a heavy focus on project-based STEM education. Its rigorous course and high student graduation rate make it one of the most prestigious high schools in the state.
GSMST is notable for its focus on technology. Through a contract with Lenovo, every student is assigned a laptop with pre-installed software such as AutoCAD, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Premiere Pro. Teachers and students have access to school-wide SMART boards and overhead LCD projectors.
History
The school was chartered in March 2006 by the Gwinnett County Board of Education through SPLOST and opened in the fall of 2007. It was temporarily housed on the Duluth High School campus, Building 100 began in 2007 as a separate school from Duluth High School. Renovations updated and modernized 18 classrooms and offices, and GSMST moved to its permanent location in 2010 to the geographic center of Gwinnett County, near Sugarloaf Parkway and Old Norcross Road, the former site of Benefield Elementary School. The new building is designed for a maximum of 1,200 students. The school is adjacent to the Maxwell High School of Technology.In 2016, GSMST was awarded the Blue Ribbon Award.
Courses
The school offers high-level courses that challenge students, including numerous Advanced Placement courses. Freshman coursework includes Honors and Gifted Chemistry, Honors and Gifted Physics, Accelerated Integrated Algebra, Accelerated Integrated Geometry, Accelerated Integrated Precalculus, Honors and Gifted Language Arts, Fundamentals of Engineering I, Foreign Language, and one elective class. Some of these courses are taught on a block schedule, allowing students to earn up to nine Carnegie units in ninth grade. The main focus of the school is mathematics, science, and technology, but other subjects are also taught at the highest levels available. Each course is designed to integrate content from other courses into its own lessons to demonstrate the history and practical applications of each course.Extracurriculars
- Academic Warriors
- Black Student Union
- Beta Club
- Board Games
- Book Club
- Chess Club
- Christian Student Association
- Computer Science Club
- Chinese Club
- Debate Club
- Digital Media Club
- Engineering Honor Society
- Environmental Club
- German Club
- Gwinnett Student Leadership Team
- Intramurals
- Jazz Band/Jazz Combo
- Literary Magazine
- Math Team
- Model UN
- Mock Trial
- Mu Alpha Theta
- National Art Honor Society
- Newspaper Club
- NHS
- Percussion Ensemble
- Quiz Bowl
- Relay for Life
- Robotics Club
- Science Bowl
- Science Olympiad
- Self Defense Club
- The Sociedad Honoraria Hispana
- Spanish Club
- String Quartet Club
- Student Council
- Technology Student Association
- Tri-M Music Honor Society
- Volleyball Club
Academic World Quest
GSMST Team "A" placed first in the Georgia Academic World Quest Competition, and placed in the top 10 out of 39 teams in the national competition in Washington D.C.Chinese Club
GSMST Chinese Club explores Chinese culture through fun activities such as crafts and food. Members can also enjoy a variety of games on "Game Day" such as ping pong, Mahjong, and Chinese Checkers. Food meetings are widely loved as members can create his or her own portion. Everything, from scallion pancakes to tang yuan, can be made throughout the academic year. GSMST Chinese Club bubble tea sales are well-known as many students enjoy the many different tea flavors offered. This club is a good way to learn about other cultures and ethnicities. The profit from these sales go to organizations and charities in Taiwan and China.Debate Team
Initiated in the 2009 school year, Debate can be taken as a class at GSMST. Students who are in the debate class are not necessarily on the team; conversely, those on the debate team do not necessarily have to be in the debate class. The following is a list of awards received by members of the debate team.Debate format | Ranking/results | Location |
Lincoln Douglas | 1st and 2nd | Johns Creek Tournament |
Lincoln Douglas | 4th | Chattahoochee Tournament |
Lincoln Douglas | 2nd alternate | Qualifying tournament to the National Championship |
Lincoln Douglas | 1st varsity and 1st novice | Fayetteville Classic |
''Infinity News Network''
The Infinity News Network is a morning show which is created and managed by the GSMST Digital Media Club. The show announces upcoming events and notices, and contains occasional messages from the principal.Math Team
GSMST placed first in the sophomore division, second in the junior division, third in the freshman division, and second overall in the GAME competition.Five GSMST students made it to the semi-final round of the Georgia Tech Math Competition.
Model United Nations
GSMST won the overall conference award for Best Foreign Policy at the Southern US Model UN conference at Emory University. Three GSMST students received individual recognition as Best Delegates for their individual committees.GSMST students won 12 of 28 possible awards at the UGA MUN competition.
At the 2013 KSUMUN Conference, GSMST students won the Best Outstanding Delegate Award representing Qatar in the Economics and Social Council committee and a Best Position Paper award representing Qatar in the World Health Organization committee.
The GSMST Model United Nations team relies on their official website to display announcements and achievements. The team also uses the website to educate fellow delegates and peers about international relations and foreign policy.
Robotics Club
VEXYear | Team | Award |
2018-2019 | 675A | Design Award Georgia State Championship Tournament Semifinalist |
2018-2019 | 675B | Design Award Judges Award Georgia State Championship Design Award Georgia State Championship Tournament Semifinalist |
2018-2019 | 675C | |
2018-2019 | 675D | |
2018-2019 | 675E | |
2018-2019 | 675F | |
2013-2014 | 675A | |
2013-2014 | 675B | |
2013-2014 | 675C | |
2013-2014 | 675D | Georgia State Championship Tournament Semifinalist |
2013-2014 | 675E | Georgia State Championship Tournament Robot Skills Winner, Semifinalist |
2013-2014 | 675E | 5th Annual GSMST VRC Qualifier Tournament Champion |
2011-2012 | ? | World Championship Judges Award World Championship Team Educational Award Winner Tournament Champion Judges Award Excellence Award Design Award Robot Skills Challenge Winners Programming Skills Challenge Winner World Championship Energy Award |
FTC
Year | Team | Award |
2012-2013 | 3819 | Georgia State Finalist Alliance |
2011-2012 | ? | Qualifying Tournament Winning Alliance Think Award Inspire Award GA Championship Winning Alliance Award |
2010-2011 | 2993 | Georgia State Championship - Winning Alliance |
2010-2011 | ? | Think Award Innovate Award GA Championship Motivate Award GA Championship FTC Design Award Attended 2011 FIRST World Championship |
2009-2010 | ? | GA State Championship Tournament Think Award |
2008-2009 | ? | GA Championship Tournament Winning Alliance Award Tennessee Championship Tournament Think Award |
2007-2008 | ? | Georgia State Championship Winning Alliance |
FRC
Year | Team | Award | Notes |
2013-2014 | 3318 | Peachtree Regional Finalist | |
2013-2014 | 3318 | Attended 2014 FIRST World Championship | Worlds Record: 7-3 Seed: 24th |
2013-2014 | 3318 | Attended GRITS | Seed: 1st |
2010-2011 | 3318 | Rookie All Star Award | The most prestigious award a rookie team can receive. |
2010-2011 | 3318 | Attended 2010 FIRST World Competition |
ROV
Year | Team | Award |
2012-2013 | ? | Most Innovative Design |
2011-2012 | ? | Most Innovative Design |
Science Olympiad
GSMST has finished in first place at their regional tournament every year since 2011, and finished second at the State Tournament every year from 2011 through 2014.Press
The school was featured in the Atlanta Journal Constitution on October 2, 2007.Six years after their debut in the AJC, the Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology students and administration brought the school to a remarkable position as one of the top three best high schools in the United States, reported by US News,
along with the School for the Talented and Gifted in Dallas, Texas, and BASIS Tucson in Tucson, Arizona. Aside from an outstanding national ranking, GSMST is also recognized as the top high school in Georgia. The US News article was also referenced in an article on the Huffington Post webpage.
In U.S. News & World Reports 2014 Best High Schools in the US, GSMST maintained its 3rd-place position for the second consecutive year.
The school also rose from its #198 position in the top STEM schools of America to #20. The school is still recognized as the top high school in Georgia, with a college-readiness index of 100, as reported by US News. Shortly before US News annual high school ranking publication, the Washington Post listed GSMST as the 17th most challenging high school in the US.
U.S. News & World Report ranked GSMST as the fourth best public high school in the United States in 2015.
U.S. News & World Report ranked GSMST as the thirty-fifth best public high school in the United States in 2017.
U.S. News & World Report ranked GSMST as the thirty-third best public high school in the United States in 2018.
U.S. News & World Report ranked GSMST as the sixth best public high school in the United States in 2019.
GSMST has been the most highly regarded and ranked school in Georgia for several years now. During the year of 2016, the ranking officials, by accident, left out GSMST in top Georgia School Rankings.
Although GSMST would still be regarded as the best school in Georgia, the ranking officials refused to move down the ranking chart, so they were tied in first place with Columbus High School.
In 2016, GSMST was also rewarded with a Blue Ribbon Award.