How about a nice talk?

LITTLE ROCK — HEY, BUDDY. Big guy. Partner. Or maybe Princess. Or just Darlin’ Girl. Have a seat. No, there’s nothing wrong. There’s nothing wrong at all. Things are just swell. Or, as you say, totally cool.

You’re too old to take out for an ice cream cone. (Where did the years go?) But you’re too young to take out for a beer. So let’s just sit back and talk for a while. Maybe later go get a Coke and a slice of pizza. Or a taco, if you wanna. Coffee and salad, you say? (Where did the years go?)

It’s just that today ought to be a little special for you. No, not new-car special, not birthday special. But a day to realize how proud you’ve made the whole state. It’s been a while since we’ve had anything resembling a talk. Which is why you had to leave the iPod in the car. Sometimes your undivided attention is needed, if only for five minutes.

We’re just so proud.

Remember when you groaned when your fuddy-duddy folks suggested you take a couple of those Advanced Placement courses back when you were a freshman? Remember how Mrs. Jordan turned you on to science? And how Mr. Rameriz made the light go on in math? And now you’re thinking about majoring in biology. (Where did the years go?) Apparently you weren’t alone in taking all those AP classes. A story in the paper the other day said as much. Here, we clipped it out. Take a gander. That means have a look.

Last spring, more students in Arkansas took those Advanced Placement courses, and the exams that come with them, than at any time before. The percentages get a little weedy, but here’s what they add up to: Big jumps. And even bigger jumps in the numbers of those who are getting good enough scores on those tests to qualify for college credit.

College credit. (Where did the years go?)

Teachers and state education types are calling these new numbers phenomenal and amazing and so on and so forth. Ditto. That means we think so, too.

The tens of thousands of students taking those AP classes in Arkansas account for Arkansas’ outpacing even the increase in students taking AP courses on the national level. And those taking AP classes in this state are getting college credit even more often than students in the other, lesser 49.

How about that?

YOU MIGHT remember a decade or so ago when teachers, politicians and just concerned citizens began demanding a more rigorous high school curriculum in Arkansas. It was ridiculous the way our students could ace the standardized tests given by the state, then do so poorly on the national tests.

Then came Smart Core and benchmark exams and Common Core and school district mergers and No Child Left Behind and computers that email parents their kids’ grades and distance learning . . . . Not to mention Dr. Tom Kimbrell at the state’s Department of Education and all those AP teachers all across Arkansas. Let’s not forget there are real people involved in this achievement. And that includes the young people like you, young lady/gentleman, who actually signed up for the classes, studied, and took the tests.

As somebody says in the news story, you wouldn’t think that if the number of kids taking AP classes shot up, the exam scores would go up, too. That’s not the way things usually work. Scores usually fall when a lot more kids take the tests. That didn’t happen in Arkansas. Quite the opposite: More kids took the tests and more kids aced them. How about that?

So you drink coffee now. When did you start that? And it’s good to see you have a great big green salad rather than a slice of pizza. You’re growing up. Fast. Too fast.

(Where did the years go?)