- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

Forward Arkansas Awards ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Phase II Grant to Improve Recruitment and Training for K-12 Teachers

John Hill — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 15:31:49 +0000

has named the University of Arkansas at Little Rock as one of two phase II grant recipients who will work with expert national partners in a multi-year collaborative program to recruit, train, and retain K-12 teachers in Arkansas. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock will receive more than $453,000 as part of the implementation of phase II. Altogether, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock will be receiving direct funding and comprehensive ongoing technical assurance from expert partners that is totaling more than $1.6 million over the next three years to increase the quantity, quality, and diversity of the state’s teacher workforce. Forward Arkansas launched the Education Preparation Program Design Collaborative last year. Eight universities received grants of $100,000 to develop a transformation plan that captures their vision for change and aligns with the Arkansas Department of Education’s future direction for educator preparation. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and Southern Arkansas University were selected as phase II grant recipients because the universities “developed bold, innovative plans for transformation” that “have the potential to dramatically impact the teacher pipeline” in the state, according to Ben Kutylo, executive director of Forward Arkansas. “Throughout the first phase of the collaborative, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock demonstrated a continuous commitment to the bold transformation of their educator preparation program,” Kutylo said. “We are excited to support them in achieving their vision and for the impact they will have on teachers and students in Little Rock.” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock will focus on increasing the number and diversity of candidates entering and graduating from their programs and transforming the entire experience for teacher candidates to be more practice-based, so teachers are ready for their classrooms on day one. “We are deeply grateful to Forward Arkansas for giving us the opportunity to implement the transformation plan our teacher education team has created,” Chancellor Christina S. Drale said. “We believe this new approach will enable us to produce more K-12 teachers for Arkansas from a wider variety of backgrounds who will be better prepared and more resilient upon graduation. We can’t wait to get started!” Dr. Sarah Beth Estes, dean of the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education, and Dr. Kent Layton, director of the School of Education, will serve as ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s co-principal investigators on the grant. One of the innovative solutions to better prepare teachers for the classroom includes paid residencies where teaching candidates will spend one year working with a partner school. Candidates will also receive support from a site coordinator in addition to their mentor teacher. Site coordinators will be housed at the school even though they are university faculty. “Our intention is to become the No. 1 provider of day one ready teachers in the state,” Estes said. “We are looking forward to providing our future teachers paid residencies. By the time they graduate, our teacher candidates will be exposed to everything they will need to know by the time they step foot in the classroom as teachers. We are committed to improving teacher preparation so that we can also improve teacher recruitment and retention, thereby improving the learning environment for children in Arkansas.” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is partnering with local school districts to oversee the residency program that will begin during the fall 2023 semester. These collaborative partnerships will help ��Vlog��ý Little Rock better understand the changing needs of K-12 students as the program evolves. Additionally, the university will collect data on teacher candidates and graduates during their first five years in the profession to support continuous improvement in teacher education and training. In addition to the second phase grant, Forward Arkansas also announced the continuation of the overall Design Collaborative for all eight universities from the program’s first phase. The additional participating universities include Arkansas State University, Arkansas Tech University, Harding University, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, and the University of Central Arkansas. “The decisions were difficult. Overall, we were humbled by the commitment, engagement, and hard work of all eight participating universities over the last year of the Design Collaborative,” Kutylo said. “It exceeded our expectations. Therefore, to maintain the momentum, we are committing to an additional two years of the Collaborative and look forward to supporting the transformative work that will continue.” In the upper right photo, Melissa Hardeman, a senior instructor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, works with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock math students in the classroom. Photo by Ben Krain.

U.S. Department of Education Awards ��Vlog��ý Little Rock $581K Grant to Provide Child Care Funding for Low-Income Students

John Hill — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 14:20:00 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has been awarded a federal grant worth more than $581,000 from the U.S. Department of Education that will help pay child care expenses for low-income students to help them complete their college education. “The child care support provided by this grant will help our students who are parents and is another example of our institution’s commitment to student success,” Provost Ann Bain said. “This grant is particularly exciting because the baseline data to support the need for grant funds involved our faculty and our students, and the final grant submission was a collaboration between Dr. Daryl Rice and graduate student Cassie Jo Gehring.” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock received a (CCAMPIS) four-year grant of $581,128. The program supports the participation of low-income parents in postsecondary education through the provision of campus-based child care services. Funding will be available to students who are eligible to receive Pell Grants. Students receiving these grants typically come from households whose family incomes are less than $50,000 annually, though most Pell Grant money goes to students with a total family income below $20,000. At ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, 39 percent of undergraduate students from the fall 2021 semester are Pell Grant recipients. “The grant will allow us to pay support for child care to Pell-eligible students with children using established and licensed child care providers,” said Dr. Daryl Rice, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs for student success. “The amount is based on a sliding scale. The program will also provide assistance in accessing child care support from other sources, such as the Arkansas Department of Health’s voucher program and child care provided by Early Start, Head Start, and the Little Rock School District.” A priority will be given to single parents. Parents who are going to college face a tougher road than traditional college students and have lower student retention and graduation rates. Single mothers are particularly hard hit. According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, there are nearly 2.1 million single mothers in college today, many of whom are women of color. Only 8 percent of single mothers who start college earn an associate or bachelor’s degree within six years, compared with about half of women who are not mothers. The Institute for Women’s Policy Research also shows that providing support for parents in college, such as free child care, financial assistance, and social skills training, would allow more student parents to graduate in less time. During the spring 2021 semester, four Master of Public Administration (MPA) students in Dr. Kirk Leach’s social entrepreneurship course did background research for the grant, including a phone survey of local child care providers about capacity, prices, availability, and partnership opportunities with the university. The students include Andrea Neloms, Cassie Jo Gehring, Heather Reed, and Jenifer Tindle. Dr. Rice and Gehring wrote the final proposal and are co-principal investigators for the grant. “Being a parent while a student myself, I thought of how difficult it must be for those who don’t have resources or support to advance themselves through higher education,” said Gehring, associate director of advancement services at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “As a student at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, I have participated in many service-learning projects. I was inspired to think that the research I am doing as a student and my connections in my personal and professional life can come together to make a real-world change that will make a real impact for students who are looking to make a better life for themselves and their children.” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock previously had a child care center that closed down in 1993. A 2020 survey of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students, faculty, and staff found that 46 percent reported having primary responsibility for a child under 18. There is a current and anticipated demand for child care, specifically for children five and under. A third of respondents (33 percent) currently have a need for after school care for a child between the ages of 5-12. Student respondents indicated that child care issues have had a direct impact on coursework and class attendance. More than a third of respondents reported that they have had to drop or withdraw from a class due to child care issues. In addition to funding for child care, students accepted for the program will also have access to student success resources in the Office of Student Retention Initiatives, including success coaching, peer mentoring, and a licensed social worker. “It isn’t often that a person’s educational career and professional career intersect,” said Heather Reed, director of Student Retention Initiatives and a MPA student who helped write the grant. “This is one opportunity where the research team for the Social Entrepreneurship MPA course with Dr. Leach led to the university being awarded a grant that will be put into direct action to support students. This is a humbling experience as a graduate student and professional to see theory to practice in action with the end result helping promote student success.” The child care funding will be available to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students beginning in the spring 2022 semester. A full-time director will be hired to run the program in the Office of Student Retention Initiatives. All students who are eligible for the program will receive an email with more information later this semester. Students can also or visit this website for more information. If you’d like to donate to help support ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students with child care needs, please donate via this link. In the upper right photo, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock has been awarded a federal grant worth more than $581,000 from the U.S. Department of Education that will help pay child care expenses for low-income students. Pictured, from left to right, are three of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock employees responsible for researching and writing the Child Care Access Means Parents in School grant: Heather Reed, Dr. Daryl Rice, and Cassie Jo Gehring. Photo by Angie Faller.

Windgate Foundation Awards ��Vlog��ý Little Rock More Than $3 Million in Grants for Art Outreach, Art Acquisition, and Children International Education and Outreach Efforts

John Hill — Thu, 02 Sep 2021 16:25:59 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has received more than $3 million in grants from the to support art education at the university, acquisition of art from working artists for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s permanent art collection, and support of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Children International’s education and outreach programs. “These three grants from the Windgate Foundation will go a long way to support art education and outreach programs in our community,” said Chancellor Christina Drale. “We are thankful to the Windgate Foundation for their continued dedication to artists, art educators, and students across the state.” Windgate’s first grant will provide $1.56 million for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Children International, which serves approximately 2,100 children and youth in central Arkansas. The first $1.5 million will create an endowed fund to cover operational expenses. Children International will receive $60,000 as a bridge grant to use in the next year. “We are impressed by the efforts of the hard-working staff of Children International to provide education and outreach activities for children in the Little Rock School District,” said Pat Forgy, executive director of the Windgate Foundation. “I’d encourage others to consider supporting their work to help children become healthy, educated, and self-reliant. There is so much more Children International could accomplish with additional help from the community.” Now in its 27th year, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Children International offers a variety of school- and community-based programs, including after-school and summer programming, cooking classes, emergency food assistance, and college preparation and career training. “We’re grateful for the continued support of the Windgate Foundation,” said Ryan Davis, director of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Children International. “This endowed fund will allow us to plan further, dig deeper, and reach higher in our work with children and youth in central Arkansas” The second grant provides $1 million to create an endowed art acquisition fund. The funding will be divided equally, with $500,000 going to acquire contemporary craft art from living artists and the other $500,000 to acquire art from living artists. “The Windgate Foundation has been a champion of the gallery program for 10 years,” said Brad Cushman, director of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Gallery Program. “Their financial support of exhibition programming and acquisitions began in 2011. The Windgate Foundation has granted acquisition funding to major museums and art institutions across the country. They have certainly put the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Gallery Program and Permanent Collection in prestigious company.” With this grant, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock will acquire more art for the university’s permanent art collection, which holds over 1,700 items, and provide a broader range of exhibits for the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Gallery Program. “Windgate’s support has allowed us to bring more contemporary craft into the collection,” Cushman said. “Their support has also helped us to diversify the voices represented in the collection to include more women, Black, Hispanic/Latino, LGBTQ, and other artists.” Additionally, Windgate has awarded ��Vlog��ý Little Rock a multi-year additional support grant for the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Art Outreach Program. Windgate originally awarded ��Vlog��ý Little Rock a grant of more than $750,000 in November 2018 to establish a series of educational art workshops for Arkansas high school students and art teachers.

Woodworking Professor Peter Scheidt assists visiting art educator Loni Rainey as she builds a small Shaker table during the artWAYS furniture and woodworking program in the Windgate Center of Art and Design. Photo by Ben Krain.

The additional $470,713 grant will continue to support art education outreach efforts for high school students and art teachers in Arkansas through December 2024. The final payment for 2023 is contingent upon an increase of students in ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Art and Design Department. “We appreciate the opportunity that the Windgate Foundation has given the department,” said Tom Clifton, chair of the Department of Art and Design. “Sharing our expertise with the community of art teachers has been an incredibly fulfilling experience for the department faculty. We’re looking forward to providing more programming and meeting new participants in the future.” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock was unable to hold the high school student visits and workshops for K-12 art educators during summer 2020 due to the pandemic. With social distancing procedures in place, the Department of Art and Design continued programming this summer with seven week-long workshops for art educators from across the state. Faculty members Kevin Cates, Jeremy Couch, Joli Livaudais, and Peter Scheidt taught workshops on drawing, graphic design, painting, photography, and woodworking. Art Outreach Specialist Andrea Tompkins reports more than 50 teachers from 33 Arkansas schools attended the workshops and earned 30 hours of professional development credit each. In summer 2022, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock plans to offer two camps for art educators and one camp for highly motivated high school students who are considering majoring in the visual arts. The workshops are free to high school students and art teachers. The Windgate grant will cover on-campus housing, meals, supplies, and instructional materials. In the upper photo, a group of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Children International students display their denim artwork during an Art in Action Camp taught by Lorria Eubanks of A Different Stroke of Art.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Children International receives $10,000 grant from Delta Dental of Arkansas

John Hill — Thu, 08 Jul 2021 20:16:52 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock Children International has received a $10,000 grant from the Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation to provide dental treatment to children in the Little Rock School District. “I’d like to thank Delta Dental for being the most supportive organization of the Future Smiles Dental Clinic since we opened in 2005,” said Jolene Perkins, manager of the Future Smiles Dental Clinic. “They have contributed over $300,000 in support of the clinic over the years.” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Children International provides dental care to approximately 2,000 students a year in the Little Rock School District through its Future Smiles Dental Clinic. The grant will fund the purchase of dental supplies and equipment needed for the clinic based at Wakefield Elementary School. The clinic provides dental screenings, fluoride varnish, oral health education, sealants, and other forms of comprehensive dental care. Since 2000, the dental program has provided dental screenings to more than 42,000 children. The clinic is staffed with a dentist from Arkansas Children’s Hospital and dental hygiene students from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. More than $3.3 million of dental care has been provided to children at the dental clinic at no cost to their families. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock was one of 23 nonprofit organizations in Arkansas who received a total of $500,000 in grants from the Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation. The awards will support community-focused oral health initiatives across the state. The funding, awarded through the foundation’s annual Community Grants Program, will ultimately benefit hundreds of thousands of Arkansans, especially low-income, uninsured, and underserved residents. “We are thrilled to award these grants,” said Chrissy Chatham, executive director of Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation. “They support and nurture meaningful, transformational projects that promote improved oral health for individuals who need it the most. It’s our goal for all Arkansans to achieve good oral health and therefore, improve their quality of life.” The 2021 Community Grants are being awarded to projects that offer treatment, prevention programs, and/or educational programs related to oral health. Since 2015, the foundation has contributed an average of $1 million per year to local communities to support oral health education, prevention, and treatment programs.

Three ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students receive AGATE scholarships for gifted and talented education

John Hill — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 16:02:53 +0000

Three graduate students at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock have been recognized for their excellence in gifted and talented education in Arkansas with scholarships from Arkansans for Gifted and Talented Education (AGATE). “One of my favorite aspects about AGATE is the organization’s ability to give back to the students and teachers in the form of awards and scholarships each year,” said Dustin Seaton, president of AGATE. “I am a recipient of the AGATE scholarship previously, and it helped my family tremendously in paying for my G/T certification and endorsement.” Countess Cyrus, a kindergarten teacher with Little Rock School District, Krista Hinton, K-12 gifted and talented coordinator for Lavaca School District, and Sarah Willis, gifted and talented K-4 facilitator at Lakeside School District in Hot Springs, received $1,000 scholarships from AGATE. Dr. Ann Robinson, director of the Jodie Mahony Center for Gifted Education at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, described Cyrus as an early career teacher who was inspired by a gifted and talented facilitator at her elementary school to pursue a master’s degree in gifted, creative, and talented education at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “Countess is an exemplary early childhood educator who understands that fostering creativity, providing hands-on instruction, and spotting talents in young children makes a real difference,” Robinson said. Dr. Christine Deitz, associate director of the Jodie Mahony Center, described Willis, who is a member of the Online Gifted Education K-12 Licensure Program, as an excellent student and educator. “Sara immediately distinguished herself as a very special educator,” Deitz said. “Sara is amazing. Her work reflects interesting and insightful perspectives that stimulate thoughtful responses from others.” The third scholarship recipient, Hinton, is also in the Online Gifted Education K-12 Licensure Program and has also recently been elected to serve on the AGATE Nominations Committee. “Krista will assist the AGATE Board in spotting leadership talent among Arkansas’s educators,” Deitz said. “As she is finishing her GT licensure with ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, she is beginning her National Board Teacher Certification in Exceptional Needs/Gifted. I’m looking forward to working with her as she seeks this national credential.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock uses 3D printers to make PPE for healthcare workers

John Hill — Fri, 10 Apr 2020 16:28:10 +0000

With healthcare workers across the state facing a shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), the University of Arkansas at Little Rock is using 3D printers to create face shields for a local hospital. In partnership with the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is printing the frame of the face shields, while a partner Little Rock business, Mr. Plastic, is printing the clear shield. Once put together, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is delivering the much needed face shields to healthcare workers at CHI St. Vincent.�� “Those treating and testing individuals with possible infection of COVID-19 have a significant need for Personal Protective Equipment,” said Dr. Lawrence Whitman, dean of the Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology. “Everyone wants to help out our medical workers on the front line, and this equipment protects them and gives them a feeling of safety.” U.S. Representative French Hill, a Republican from Little Rock, applauded the university’s innovative efforts during an April 3 visit to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock to observe the 3D printers in action. “Friday, I saw firsthand how the University of Arkansas at Little Rock is innovating to help our medical professionals on the front lines,” Hill said. “With 3D printers from the Little Rock School District, they are manufacturing critical protective face shields to go straight into the field. Together they will save and protect lives.” The effort began with employees from the Graduate Institute of Technology and the Department of Art and Design using their 3D printers to print the face shield frames. Armand Tomany of the Graduate Institute of Technology and Ben Dory, artist-in-residence in metals in the Department of Art and Design, began printing the face shield components at their homes.

Dr. Larry Whitman, dean of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock College of Engineering and Information Technology, demonstrates the use of a plastic face shield for health professionals working with CODVI-19 patients. The face shields are being made at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock by 3D printers. Photo by Ben Krain.

“I’ve been involved in 3D printing for five years,” Tomany said. “Dean Whitman asked if I could help with the effort. I have a small print farm at home with five machines. I was able to make about 50 face shields for St. Vincent.” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock has set up a print farm on the fourth floor of the Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology, where Tomany, Ben Gilbert of the Graduate Institute of Technology, and students Alex Kingston and David Whitman are working. “This is a very cool project to be involved with,” said Kingston, a senior electronics and computer engineering major. “It’s a bit of a learning curve, but you do what you need to do. With the shortage of PPE, this is a great way to pump out equipment for our healthcare workers.” It has become a community effort to help in the fight against COVID-19. The Little Rock School District has loaned eight 3D printers to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. With each frame taking anywhere from 46 to 70 minutes to print, time is the immediate concern.�� “The challenge is that there are so many different makes and models of 3D printers, but we are on top of it,” Tomany said. “The immediate urgency is what drives us. We are trying to make enough PPE for the healthcare workers before the state reaches its peak of COVID-19 cases. If we get people all over the state working, then we can get a lot done.” Additionally, the Department of Systems Engineering as well as the STEM Education Center have joined the 3D printing effort. Andrew Wright, associate professor of systems engineering, and Trigun Maroo, a doctoral candidate, Kent Layton, director of the STEM Education Center, and the center’s student worker, Alex Alvarez, are all using 3D printers to make PPE. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock had already donated 150 face shields to St. Vincent, and they hope to donate 200 more this week. “It shows the innovation we have on campus to get all these people to come together for a good cause,” Whitman said. In the upper right photo, Jay Chesshir (left), president and CEO of the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce, and U.S. Rep. French Hill (right) inspect the 3D printers that are printing face shields for CHI St. Vincent. Photo by Angie Faller.

Future Smiles Dental Clinic receives $30,000 grant from Delta Dental

John Hill — Tue, 11 Feb 2020 16:17:15 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock Children International will help many children in the central Arkansas area keep a bright and healthy smile, thanks to a $30,000 grant from Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Children International received the grant to provide dental treatment to students in the Little Rock School District through the Future Smiles Dental Clinic. The clinic provides dental care to approximately 2,000 students a year. “Delta Dental has been a longtime supporter of the Future Smiles Dental Clinic and ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Children International,” said Jolene Perkins, program coordinator of the dental clinic. “They helped us fund a tooth sealant project for Little Rock children even before we started the clinic. We are thankful for all the support they’ve offered over the years.” The grant will fund the purchase of dental supplies and equipment that is necessary to run the clinic based at Wakefield Elementary School. The clinic provides dental screenings, fluoride varnish, oral health education, sealants, and other forms of comprehensive dental care. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Children International was one of 21 nonprofit and community organizations that received a grant. The $500,000 of funding in the foundation’s Community Grant Program will improve the oral health of hundreds of thousands of Arkansans. Grant recipients were selected based on a number of criteria, including the number of at-risk children or adults served by the program, the level of community engagement in providing oral health prevention and treatment, and the ability to measure success and long-term results. “Organizations receiving funding fit into four categories which best align with goals of the foundation: low-cost clinics, providing oral health educational opportunities, service-connecting organizations, and those incorporating oral health while addressing social determinants of health,” said Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation Executive Director Chrissy Chatham. “The categories support a comprehensive approach to oral health, and we believe these organizations can create a positive impact on oral health in our state.” Since 2000, the dental program has provided dental screenings to more than 40,000 children. The clinic is staffed with a dentist from Arkansas Children’s Hospital and dental hygiene students from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. More than $3 million of dental care has been provided to children at the dental clinic at no cost to their families. One of the clinic’s main goals is to increase the number of children who receive preventative tooth sealants and decrease the number of children with cavities. Between 2000 and 2019, the number of children screened with cavities has reduced from 37.6 percent to 21.9 percent. It was the clinic’s goal to reach the United States Healthy People 2020 Goal of 28 percent of the children they screen to have dental sealants; a goal that they’ve successfully reached. Sealants can reduce tooth decay in school children by more than 20 percent and eliminate the need for expensive restorative treatments like fillings and crowns, according to the Surgeon General’s report on oral health. The number of children being screened with sealants has increased from 2.5 percent in 2000 to 38.2 percent in 2019. “The objective of the dental clinic aligns with the state and the nation, which is to increase the number of children who receive preventative sealants and decrease the number of kids with cavities,” Perkins said. “We’ve had a great reduction in children affected by cavities over the years. Our state is headed in the right direction.”

TRIO Talent Search receives two additional $40,000 awards for STEM-focused programs

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Mon, 23 Dec 2019 14:09:18 +0000

The TRIO Talent Search Program at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock has received two $40,000 awards from the U.S. Department of Education to support Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs at high schools and middle schools in Pulaski County. Talent Search, one of eight programs collectively known as the��, is uniquely designed for students traditionally underrepresented in postsecondary education, including first-generation college students and other at-risk youth. The Talent Search Program will provide a comprehensive plan of activities for each participating student that identifies and explores future academic and career aspirations and provides plans for financial assistance, financial planning, and opportunities for engagement to bolster postsecondary enrollment. The TRIO Talent Search program and school officials will select students from participating Pulaski County schools to participate in this unique curriculum. These STEM-focused programs include hands-on learning experiences in virtual reality applications, robot building, basic coding skills, web development, and various engineering applications. “We are very excited to receive the STEM funds,” said Linda Barker, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock TRIO executive director. “The awards present an opportunity to partner with the existing STEM programs at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. The hands-on experiences will give students confidence in their ability to succeed in science and math courses.” Students and teachers in the STEM programs will also travel to different sites around central Arkansas to learn about STEM majors and career fields, including ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, University of Central Arkansas, and other sites identified through the Arkansas STEM Coalition. The goal of this program is to allow students, parents, and teachers to learn more about STEM fields and careers in central Arkansas.

Chamber of Commerce invites ��Vlog��ý Little Rock community to co-create vision for Pulaski County schools

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 12:53:54 +0000

The Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce will host an informational meeting with University of Arkansas at Little Rock students, faculty, and staff Tuesday, Oct. 22, to discuss educational opportunities that could be achieved in Pulaski County Schools through the initiative. The meeting will be held from noon to 2 p.m. at the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Student Services Center auditorium. It is an opportunity to hear directly from the Chamber of Commerce on what Ford Next Generation Learning can help facilitate for Pulaski County communities, businesses, and schools, including ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, as well as to learn how to become involved in upcoming visioning and planning efforts. In partnership with the Jacksonville North Pulaski School District, Little Rock School District, North Little Rock School District, and Pulaski County Special School District, the of how the Ford Next Generation Learning initiative could transform local high school experiences by leveraging strong community and business partnerships. The initiative would provide a collaborative framework for educators, employers, and community leaders that ultimately would improve regional workforce development. “This initiative has proven successful in more than 40 other cities across the United States and Great Britain,” said Dr. Erin Finzer, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs. “Ford Next Generation Learning communities report dramatically improved test scores and high school graduation rates, as well as better prepared students for the workforce and higher education.” Some characteristics of the initiative include professional development for teachers with an emphasis on experiential and project-based learning; themed career academies that reflect local business and industry; and community engagement in support of high schools, workforce development, and community and economic development. Superintendents from the four Pulaski County school districts signed a memorandum of understanding Aug. 2 solidifying their agreement to strengthen all programs for student success across the four districts. The school districts share a common vision and sense of opportunity for high school transformation through a career-themed academy model. In May 2019, a report was completed. The goal of the study was to assess opportunities and feasibility across the four districts, highlight existing pockets of excellence, and provide a recommended path forward. Costs associated with the Phase I study were underwritten by Entergy Arkansas. The study results indicated the four public school districts are well positioned for transformation.�� The Phase I report outlines an inclusive community planning process that includes community visioning sessions as well as a master planning committee comprised of business and community members, teachers, and school district officials who would be tasked with preparing a master plan to guide transformation efforts of the individual districts.

Law students’ elbow grease makes a big impact

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Mon, 09 Sep 2019 16:25:06 +0000

Incoming students at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law began their first fall semester on Aug. 10 with a day of public service at Booker T. Washington Elementary School on South Main Street in Little Rock.�� After a welcome from law school administration, 161 students converged on Washington’s campus in record-breaking rain. Little Rock received 3.87 inches of rain, beating a record that had stood since 1915. Through it all, the students, their group leaders, and Bowen Law School staff completed projects both inside and outside the elementary school. “We did an ambitious project last year at Rockefeller Elementary,” Assistant Dean of Student Affairs Rejena Grotjohn said. “This year was even larger. Rebecca Nugent, our student affairs program manager, put a lot of time, effort, and energy into ensuring everything ran as smoothly as possible.” Students worked in teams under the supervision and encouragement of upper-level law students. It was a chance to get acquainted, build support networks, and learn Bowen Law School’s core values first-hand. “Bowen’s core values are access to justice, public service, and professionalism,” Bowen Dean Theresa Beiner said. “That’s applicable not only in the legal profession, but in teaching students to see a need in their own neighborhoods and know it’s possible to fill those needs. Today, it’s paint and gravel. In the future, it may be representing a client pro bono, drafting legislation, or lobbying for policy changes.” Once the lightning stopped, students in rain gear went to work reclaiming an existing arboretum, contributed by former principal Katherine Snyder, on the north side of the campus by trimming trees and laying a gravel pathway to allow easier access. In the playground, students planted a tree to honor Snyder, who recently retired after 30 years at the elementary school. The tree was donated by Bemis Tree Farm in Little Rock. In addition, Bowen Law School students created a new seating area. “The school said they had a shaded area under an awning, but nowhere to sit if they wanted to have outdoor activities,”�� Kristen Minton, director of academic support and bar success, said. Using tires donated by Minton’s father and child-safe paint and metal benches donated by Bowen’s Student Bar Association, students created a bright spot for students and staff to enjoy the outdoors. “The new class/reading area under the awning is a big hit,” Assistant Principal Hazel Harris said. “Many students spend their recess time congregating there.” Teams of Bowen Law School students also refreshed the paint on “peace paths” at every entrance to the elementary school. “The peace paths encourage students to take a moment to think before they act, to express their anger and frustrations in a respectable manner using effective language, and to repair harm inflicted, intentionally or unintentionally, on others,” Harris said. “The peace paths correlate with our move toward restorative justice.” Bowen Law School students were just as busy inside the building, and the school’s media center was the hub of activity. This year, incoming law students participated in a book drive conducted by the Student Bar Association. New students were encouraged, through some friendly competition, to bring new books suitable for children in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. The 161 incoming students collected almost 1,200 books. They stuffed over 400 sacks, one for each elementary student, with a book, eraser, stickers, and a personal note of encouragement from a law school student. Harris said the students will receive their books during a special presentation. “I cannot wait to see their expressions when they open their book bags,” Harris said. “This will be an amazing treat for our students. The handwritten note just makes it even more special.” The remaining books will be available in the Booker T. Washington Elementary School library. On the other side of the media center, law students worked in groups to create colorful origami butterflies that were then used to decorate an encouraging bulletin board in the main entry hall. The message “Until you spread your wings you’ll have no idea how far you can fly” welcomed elementary students back to school. Down another hallway, a group of students worked on their math and art skills by painting a colorful fraction mural to help students visualize measurements. “The fraction wall is not only beautiful, but it provides a bigger than life view of how fractions relate to each other,” Harris said. “On several occasions, I have walked by and noticed students studying the wall.” Some students found ways to assist individual teachers. A group helped teacher Stephany Fields get her classroom ready for students. “It was going to take me most of the day to get this finished,” Fields said. “This group accomplished many of my tasks in under an hour.” “You would be amazed at the impact just a small word of encouragement has on a child,” Harris said. “It may seem small at the time, but the law students’ sacrifice of their time and the wonderful acts of kindness they extended are going to mean the world to our students.” The event made a lasting impression on Bowen Law School students, as well. By the time they sat down for a barbecue lunch, they’d begun bonding with classmates. “None of us got here on our own. We’ve all had people in our lives who valued our education and the opportunities it creates for us,” Charles Case, an incoming law student, said. “I think this was a chance for us to help someone else feel the same way about their education. We got a little wet, but what a great way to get to know some of our new classmates here at Bowen.”

- University News Archive - ����Vlog��ý Little Rock

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