Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
GIVING BACK
SCHOLARSHIPS HONOR SON’S MEMORY
Students at two Arkansas high schools will have a special reason to celebrate the season of giving, as an Arkansas State University alumnus has committed a very significant gift that will provide what could be hundreds of scholarships to the schools’ graduates in the years to come.
Jim Smalley of Fayetteville, who completed his bachelor’s degree business at Arkansas State in 1976, made A-State the beneficiary of one of his retirement savings funds, currently valued at $1.3 million, through his will.
Jessieville High School, in Garland County, and Corning High School, in Clay County, are the schools where seniors will benefit from the availability of scholarships funded by Smalley’s generosity.
The scholarships will be given in the name of Smalley’s late son, Beau Smalley, and the donor. Beau was a graduate of Jessieville High, while Jim is a Corning High graduate.
In addition to naming which schools’ graduates will have first priority for the Beau and Jim Smalley Scholarships, the donor has specified that financial need must be a major consideration when recipients are selected. Incoming students from Jessieville High will get top priority, followed by Corning High graduates, then other incoming Arkansas freshmen.
The recipients also must have either a 3.0 grade point average in high school or a score of 24 or higher on the standardized ACT examination to qualify for the award.
Applicants for the memorial scholarship will receive information about Beau Smalley and the outstanding qualities he exhibited. As part of their application, they will write a one-page essay about why the scholarship will enable them to carry on Beau’s legacy and how the additional funds for higher education will benefit them in the pursuit of their goals.
The incoming students may access the financial aid/private scholarships web portal on Dec. 1 each year, with the deadline to submit the private scholarship application, student resume, and essay on Feb. 1. Admission to A-State is a prerequisite to be considered for the financial award.
A committee consisting of the University Scholarship Committee with recommendations made by the high school counselor or principal at Jessieville and Corning will select recipients in the spring before the incoming students begin their freshman year in August.
TYSON FOODS
On Dec. 5 as part of Tyson Foods commitment to supporting its communities, more than 800 Tyson Foods team members prepared 1,000 meal boxes and 15,000 snack packs, as well as hygiene and comfort kits to be distributed to local nonprofit organizations. In addition, 35,000 pounds of Tyson product will be distributed to approximately 45 local feeding agencies and food pantries.
FAYETTEVILLE PUBLIC EDUCATION FOUNDATION
Gable Sloan, a student at Woodland Junior High in Fayetteville, has gifted $25,000 to the Fayetteville Public Education Foundation to establish the latest Keystone Fund in their endowment.
The establishment of the Gable Sloan Academic Enrichment for Vulnerable Students grant began as a grassroots campaign that generated community support to establish the fund. The grant will be awarded annually to teachers for programs that address equity-achievement and opportunity for students in our Fayetteville Public Schools.
Gable’s vision is for the grant to level the academic playing field for our most vulnerable students and focus on inspiring innovative projects that support increased access to academic enrichment for students regularly disenfranchised. Programs and grants will not exclude students- but will support programs that help students who find access to quality enrichment difficult.
The Fayetteville Public Education Foundation’s Director Cambre HorneBrooks said, “Gable’s fund is visionary. She honed in on addressing projects that close the opportunity gap and reach children from a wide range of racial, cultural, and socio-economic background. This grant will ensure students will be prepared for life after high school, whether the choice is to attend college, to enter the workforce, or to obtain technical training.”
Last year during the Christmas holiday, Gable began the Sock It To Poverty campaign where she displayed a “Christmas tree” at various Fayetteville businesses that featured 395 socks, representing the number of students who are homeless in the Fayetteville Public Schools. During the campaign, the socks were donated by community members and later distributed to students served by the District’s Families In Transition program. The project was the first leg of the endeavor to raise awareness and funds to establish the grant.
The fund will be invested in the foundation’s endowment, generating income that will be distributed annually through grants to teachers. For information about the Foundation’s endowment and giving levels go to fayedfoundation.org/ endowment.