California Academy of Mathematics and Science
The California Academy of Mathematics and Science (CAMS) is a public magnet high school in Carson, California focusing on science and mathematics. Located on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills, CAMS shares many facilities with the university, including the gymnasium and library. It is a National no child left behind Blue Ribbon and California Distinguished school. The no child left behind blue ribbon was only presented to 32 public schools nationwide. Unlike similar schools such as the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, CAMS is non-residential, drawing its students only from Long Beach and the cities of the South Bay region. Students are admitted only as freshmen, after an application and interview process.
CAMS features a strong college preparation curriculum, with much of its administration, counseling, and culture focused on helping students into four-year universities. For three of four years, CAMS students' core math curricula relies on the Interactive Mathematics Program (IMP).
Its relatively small student body (610 enrolled as of 2003) and racial diversity (the largest ethnic group, Hispanics and Latinos, is 30.8%) make the school unique [1].