From the President

If I could give out progress reports for what we’ve been seeing and hearing in our sessions to recruit students for ASHS, there’s a group which would have earned straight As.

While our focus has been recruiting next year’s class of 9^th graders (so 8^th graders this year), we’ve had incredible interest from this year’s 9^th graders who will be 10^th graders next year. In fact, the level of interest from these current 9^th graders has been so amazing that my team and I have decided to expand our original plan.

We will be selecting an inaugural cohort of sophomores, right alongside our very first class of freshmen. That means, in August 2026, not just 9th graders but 20-25 driven, big-hearted students entering 10th grade will become part of the groundbreaking, history-making inaugural student body at Alabama’s first public, tuition-free residential high school for healthcare sciences.

This decision comes straight from the voices of students and parents who have shown up at our events and filled our inboxes with questions: “Is it too late for me if I’m already in 9th grade? Is there a place for me in this adventure?” Now, I can answer with a resounding YES! We’re looking for 9th graders ready to roll up their sleeves, commit themselves to a future in healthcare, and build new traditions for generations of Alabamians to come.

What convinced us? Quite simply, Alabama needs more healthcare heroes as soon as possible, and we’re seeing so many young people fired up to learn, serve, and lead. By inviting a group of 10th graders to join our residential program, we’ll be able to ride that wave into the healthcare pipeline faster and make an impact even sooner on the workforce by filling solid, rewarding jobs, both in rural and urban Alabama medicine.

Dr. Laura Bailey, who’s already been dreaming big with a 9th-grade curriculum that weaves healthcare into every corner of learning, is busy sketching out a course of study and on-the-job experiences for our incoming 10th graders. Get ready for hands-on practice, exposure to real healthcare workplaces, industry-recognized certifications, and classroom experiences that will challenge and inspire you, whether your goal is to step straight into a meaningful career or head on to more training or higher education.

The bottom line: If you’re an 8th or 9th grader in Alabama with a heart for service, a hunger to learn, and a wish to make history, ASHS is for you. Don’t wait: Applications are open, and we’re finding strong interest for both incoming grades. I urge you and your family to sign up for one of our virtual sessions that start next week. Each meeting is your chance to see our vision, get answers, and discover where you fit in this one-of-a-kind school community.

Even more of us will be making history together next fall, and there’s room for you if you act now. Courage, compassion, and a calling to serve: That’s the ASHS way, and our first students may very well be reading this right now.

See you soon, 

Dr. Jimmy Martin

President, ASHS

Over the past few weeks, our leadership team has logged an impressive number of miles meeting students, parents, and curious educators and healthcare leaders around Alabama. Those face-to-face conversations are some of my favorite parts of this work. But even moving full steam ahead, we can’t reach every town or community in person before we need to start firming up our first freshman class.

That’s why I’m pleased to share that we’re now offering Virtual Information Sessions so every family in every part of Alabama can learn about the Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences right away, no matter where you live. As of this writing, we have four “virtual” dates set up – two on Nov. 18, one on Dec. 10, and the last on Dec. 11.

These online sessions are simple to join. All you need is a phone, tablet, or computer and an internet connection. We’ll walk you through what makes this school so different: A high school experience where you’ll live on campus, a curriculum steeped in healthcare, hands-on training, and the chance to earn college credit and certifications before graduation. You’ll also have the opportunity to ask questions live.

It’s the next best thing to us sitting around your kitchen table.

Without sounding too pushy, here’s what I want families to remember: Applications are already open, and space in our first freshman class is limited. We’ve seen a lot of excitement at our in-person visits, and these virtual sessions will only widen our reach. If you’re an eighth grader who’s thinking this might be the right place for you, now is the time to learn more and get your application started.

We would love to come to every hometown in Alabama, and we’ll keep traveling as much as we can before the holidays and until the calendar tells us it’s time to start making decisions. These virtual meetings make sure no student misses the chance to meet our team, ask questions, and understand the doors this school can open. Whether you’re in a big city or a rural county, this is your opportunity to connect with us without waiting and without leaving home.

You can find dates, times, and registration details at alhealthcarehs.org/admissions/virtual-information-meetings. I hope you’ll sign up and join us soon. Don’t be shy — stay on camera so we can see you. If you like what you hear, just the push of one more button — APPLY NOW at the top of the home page — will launch your future in healthcare.

And we still are keeping our overnight bags packed to make personal visits — five lined up in the next few weeks, from Florence to Dothan. You can always find the latest dates at https://www.alhealthcarehs.org/calendar-of-events.

In person or in cyberspace, looking forward to ‘meeting’ you,

Dr. Jimmy Martin

The wait is over to see what high school will look like as an ASHS student. Our full freshman year curriculum is live on the ASHS website, and I couldn’t be prouder to share it. Our team is confident that it delivers on everything we’ve been promising — and more.

Explore the ASHS 9th-grade courses here.

What does experiencing “High School Through a Healthcare Lens,” mean? Our students will take all the academic subjects all Alabama high school students are required to study for their diploma — English, math, science, social studies — but each class is designed to connect with the real world of healthcare. Whether they’re learning ratios in algebra, writing persuasive essays, or studying the human body, they’ll see their education in the context of caring for others, solving problems, and improving lives.

From day one, our ninth graders will also begin their healthcare electives, including courses in medical terminology, technology, leadership, and foundational health science. These are the building blocks that will grow into hands-on training and certifications, tangible and marketable  skills they can take directly into the workforce, into college, or wherever their journey leads.

Our Dean of Curriculum and Instruction, Laura Bailey, did a genius job of weaving together dreams with demands and aspiration with reality in crafting this curriculum. Her impressive background ranges from the classroom to school leadership to a key role with the Alabama State Department of Education overseeing career and workforce development programs (including healthcare). That depth is evident in every course listing for ASHS freshmen. We can’t wait to see what Mrs. Bailey has in store for the other three years.

Ultimately, that’s what makes ASHS different. It’s not just a school; it’s a purpose. We’re helping bright, motivated young people channel their curiosity and compassion into careers that matter. In doing so, we’re strengthening Alabama’s healthcare workforce and expanding access to care for our communities. Every class, every certification, every partnership outlined in our first-year curriculum moves that mission forward.

Applications for our inaugural Class of 2030 are already open, and excitement is building. Families across the state are recognizing this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity, a chance to be part of something historic. I expect we’ll see a rush of interest now that people can explore the full academic program. So, to every eighth-grader out there who dreams of a future helping others and making a difference, I say: don’t wait. Apply today.

This is the moment we’ve been building toward since the Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences was just an idea being tossed around among leaders across the state. Now it’s real. The classrooms, the curriculum, and the opportunities are all coming together to create something Alabama and the U.S. have never seen before.

We’re shaping tomorrow’s healthcare professionals right here, right now. And I can’t wait to stroll around campus watching this first class of ninth graders learning and making history.

Prouder every day of this team and what we’re building,

Dr. Jimmy Martin

From Smiths Station and Sylacauga to Mobile, the Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences (ASHS) team has been hitting the road for destinations rural and urban. By the end of next week, we will have logged eight cities this month on our “A Future of Healthcare” journey that will eventually reach every part of the state.

Believe me, we couldn’t be more grateful for the warm welcomes and lively conversations we’re sharing along the way. Every visit, every handshake, and every question from students and families only makes us more excited to open our doors to Alabama’s very first class of healthcare leaders next August.

As we zigzag Alabama, we’re getting a sense of what’s appealing about ASHS and what prospective families want to know. The big questions surround what exactly students will be learning from the first bell until they are handed their diplomas, and what everyday life — especially extracurriculars — will look like. This being Alabama, “Will you have sports?”  is an FAQ which was pretty much on all our bingo cards.

While the deep dive into specialized courses in healthcare and hands-on experience is big on STEMM-appeal, I can tell you with pride, our core curriculum is being carefully crafted to open doors for every student who walks through them. Our students will tackle the state’s required courses in an exciting and relevant way, going beyond the general lessons and making medical and healthcare connections in core courses such as history and computer science.

And to add more relevance, everything will be constructed with an emphasis on critical thinking, teamwork, and communication skills that will equip students directly for the workforce, advanced training, or college.

Our intense focus on academic and workforce training doesn’t rule out learning the value of a balanced life. After all, a healthy body supports a healthy mind, and we’re committed to ASHS students developing both. While the demands of the healthcare specialty means we won’t compete in traditional high school sports, we will still provide physical education, wellness and mindfulness programs, and leisure activities taking advantage of the natural and manmade recreation found at every turn in the Demopolis area.

Knowing that the benefits of high school sports go beyond scores and trophies, we expect to find ways to foster the same kind of spirited competition that builds camaraderie and teamwork that will fit within the academic demands of ASHS.

We’re not setting every plan in stone because pretty soon, we’ll have our most committed stakeholders — the ASHS Class of 2030. If you join that history-making group, you’ll be part of decision-making and create traditions that will help shape ASHS for all time. What an opportunity!

This is more than a school: We’re building a community that will forever influence you and your classmates. You’ll learn structure and purpose, be part of a vibrant House System for leadership and belonging, eat good food, make enduring friendships, and begin lifelong habits of physical and mental wellness.

We’d love to see you at one of our in-person sessions to explore your goals and how you and ASHS may be made for each other. We’re adding new dates all the time (and will even be taking requests for visits and offering virtual sessions soon). But you don’t have to wait to start your journey! The homepage of our ALHealthcareHS.org website has an APPLY NOW button at the top.

Our website FAQ section is a living, breathing source of information, so check it out. And let’s keep the conversation going!

Anxious to meet our Class of 2030,

Dr. Jimmy Martin

Tuesday morning in Demopolis was one of those days that makes you take a deep breath, look around, and realize you’re witnessing history. Under a bright Alabama sky, as Gov. Kay Ivey led the way with a spirited toss of her shovelful of Demopolis soil, we officially broke ground for the Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences.

It was a moment years in the making, born of a bold vision to meet critical healthcare needs while opening doors for young Alabamians eager to learn, serve, and make a difference. The standing-room-only crowd — a heartwarming collection of neighbors from Demopolis, state and local leaders, educators, healthcare professionals, and friends from across Alabama — represented that this was a celebration for everybody. Across our state, people see clearly the promise of what this school will become.

Gov. Ivey, who championed the idea of ASHS from the very start, spoke with the same fierce conviction she brought to the earliest conversations: That Alabama’s greatest investment must always be in its people. She reminded us that the future of healthcare in Alabama depends on preparing our students today for the workforce demands and challenges of tomorrow.

We were also honored to welcome Kate Herman of Bloomberg Philanthropies, whose team has believed in this mission from the beginning and backed it with $26.4 million and something not visible to the public but critical to us — their deep expertise. As she shared, “We see in Demopolis a model for how communities can build opportunity and strengthen public health at the same time.”

And although he couldn’t be present, Dr. Selwyn Vickers, a Demopolis native who now leads Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, loomed large in our festivities. Gov. Ivey announced the welcome news that he has joined us as a special advisor to the ASHS Foundation, adding his knowledge of Alabama and global stature in medicine and education to our efforts. This news and his backstory reminded everyone in attendance that the roots of greatness often begin in small-town Alabama and that those roots can nourish the world.

As the ceremonial shovels turned the earth, I felt a surge of gratitude and resolve. Gratitude for the visionaries who have believed, the partners who have invested, and the students — starting with those still in middle school now — who will one day walk through our doors. Resolve to ensure that this school delivers on its promise: To shape future healthcare leaders who combine skill with compassion and knowledge with service.

This was more than a groundbreaking. It was a commitment to our communities, our state, and our shared future, a giant step in meeting critical needs and in creating opportunities.

And from where I stood on this remarkable morning, it looked like the future of healthcare in Alabama was already taking shape.

On the road again (to Smiths Station, Sylacauga and Huntsville in the next week),

Dr. Jimmy Martin