DATE: Friday, October 3, 1997               TAG: 9710030085

SECTION: DAILY BREAK             PAGE: E13  EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY ERIC NICKENS, HIGH SCHOOL CORRESPONDENT 

                                            LENGTH:   87 lines

RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL IS A SERIOUS PLACE

WHEN STACY SMALLWOOD headed to Wake Forest University this school year, it wasn't the first time he attended school away from home.

For the past two years, Stacy had been a student at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM) in Durham.

NCSSM is a public, co-educational and residential high school for academically talented juniors and seniors. It opened in 1980 to provide challenging educational opportunities for North Carolina students with potential for high achievement in science and math.

Even though it's a public high school, NCSSM doesn't accept just anyone. The school typically gets 850 applications a year but accepts only 275 students, said John Poe, admissions coordinator. The school has an enrollment of 550 from across the state. Tuition is paid by the state.

``It really presents an opportunity,'' Poe said of the school. ``The biggest advantage is the opportunity to interact with other students who are interested in learning.''

Despite its modesty, NCSSM is serious about education.

Stacy's interest in science led him to apply to the school. The application was just one step in a long process. Stacy also had to take the SATs, write an essay explaining why he wanted to attend, take more tests and finally sit for an interview with a faculty member. Once accepted, he had to take even more tests to determine placement in the school.

``I was very relieved to get the acceptance letter,'' he said. He was happy and confused, too. Stacy wasn't sure he was ready to leave the comforts of home. Given his appetite for science, though, he chose to leave.

``The academic and residential life was absolutely incredible,'' he said.

Back in Gatesville, Stacy shared a house with his parents and sister. At NCSSM, he shared the first floor of Hill House with 30 other guys.

He said the residence hall atmosphere was like that of a multicultural family. In this family, everyone is working toward a common goal: knowledge.

Said Poe: ``People just expand their breadth and depth of perspective here.''

The name of the school is somewhat misleading. Although the school focuses on science and math, it has the same things as most high schools. The curriculum, however, is advanced.

``The work that is given to us is actually college level work,'' Stacy said. ``Basically the teacher presents the problem and you solve it. Unlike regular high schools, the student is not spoon-fed the answer.''

The faculty consists of Ph.Ds and others who are available during and after school to help students with their studies.

Because NCSSM is structured like a college, most classes don't meet every day. With this schedule, students sometimes have breaks to catch up on classwork, study or relax.

Homelife at NCSSM differs, too.

For one thing, there are no TVs in the dorm rooms. ``There is more to life than TV,'' Stacy commented.

Students are required to work three hours a week in the library, cafeteria or other areas of the school. It's like paying back the state of North Carolina for room and board.

Saturday is a time when everything winds down.

``I was absolutely surprised at how many people still watch cartoons on Saturday mornings,'' Stacy said.

In addition to watching Saturday morning cartoons, many students hang out at nearby Northgate Mall or on Ninth Street.

Stacy usually found time to run two to three miles every day in the scenic areas around the campus.

Adjusting to NCSSM was difficult at first, Stacy said.

``I was homesick . . . but after getting to know everyone, I felt right at home,'' he said.

Like high schools everywhere, there are plenty of activities and clubs. Stacy was the bass section leader in the choir and a member of the NCSSM's Model United Nations group. He was also a member of Harambee, a campus minority service club.

And, like 99 percent of the seniors at NCSSM, Stacy was focused on the college application process last year. His personal final four included Wake Forest, North Carolina State, Hampton and Morehouse.

Stacy chose Wake Forest for a variety of reasons, including the proximity to home and the feeling he got when he visited the campus.

``Visiting Wake Forest was like acquiring an infectious disease,'' he said. ``I just couldn't get Wake Forest out of my system.''

He can't get NCSSM out of his system, either.

``I took a little of everyone and included it with myself.'' MEMO: Eric Nickens is a junior at Gates County High School in North

Carolina. ILLUSTRATION: COURTESY OF STACY SMALLWOOD

Stacy Smallwood attended the North Carolina School of Science and

Math.

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