Wheat to lead school clinic, Bright Futures
■ Bright Futures Siloam Springs annual Backpack Bonanza serves a record number of students.
Krystal Wheat, the new director of Panther Health and Wellness Clinic and Bright Futures Siloam Springs, is a familiar face in Siloam Springs and a long-time advocate for local students.
Wheat was hired in June to replace Sarah Jones, who resigned from the position to accept a job in the Springdale School District. She has worked in education for 14 years and in Siloam Springs Schools for the past 11 years, first as a business teacher and then as a high school counselor. She is also the wife of Gary Wheat, pastor of The Assembly, formerly known as Siloam Springs First Assembly of God.
The school-based health clinic has been open for more than three years and Bright Futures was added two years ago. As a member of the coordinated school health team and the district’s strategic planning committee, Wheat has been involved with the clinic and Bright Futures from the very beginning. She also worked with Bright Futures through her church, which gathers shoes for the annual Christmas giveaway, and as a friend of Jones.
“Just the connection that our church has with wanting to do community outreach, that’s always fit the mission of Bright Futures, so as a volunteer and school counselor, those things worked hand-in-hand for me to be very involved with Sarah as she led the charge to start Bright Futures,” she said.
Wheat said she loved her job
at the high school and switching careers was not on her radar. She worried she would lose the day-to-day relationships she built with students as a counselor.
“But I’m finding that’s probably not the truth,” she said. “I have more ties with families now, the whole family unit versus just an individual student. I have a big compassionate heart and I love to help people. If we can meet basic needs of students through medical, physical, mental health, it tears down the barriers to learning in the classroom and that’s why they come to school is to learn.”
The clinic is partnered with Community Clinic Siloam Springs and Ozark Guidance Center to provide physical and mental/behavioral health services to students, their family members, school staff members and their families.
Many people are not aware that the clinic offers full medical services in a school setting, Wheat said. Peter Granderson, advanced practice registered nurse, provides medical services, and licensed clinical social workers Cherie McFaddin and Kristin McCray provide mental health services. With parental permission, the school transportation department can take students from school directly to their appointments, cutting down on absenteeism.
In the future, the clinic would like to be able to offer dental and vision services as well, Wheat said.
Like the clinic, Bright Futures Siloam Springs also strives to meet student’s basic needs so they can focus on learning. The local organization is part of the national Bright Futures program, based in Joplin, Mo. Nationwide, the organization partners with the community members through social media with the national goal of meeting student’s needs — such as shoes, clothing, food, bedding or any other need that might take their focus away from school — in less than 24 hours. Locally, the organization has met student needs in an average of 15-minutes or less.
“I appreciate the Siloam Springs community so much and their love for the school district and we are known for saying ‘our kids’ because, they belong to all of us,” Wheat said. “To see a community partner with a school district and meet kid’s needs is wonderful.”
On Aug. 11, Bright Futures held its third annual Backpack Bonanza and served a record number of more than 500 students. A total of 92 community volunteers helped with the event, Wheat said. Students were able to pick out their own backpacks and school supplies, and get back-to-school haircuts. There were also plenty of fun activities such as face painting and bounce houses, as well as free hotdogs and ice cream.
“It was just a really neat day, the volunteers were amazing,” Wheat said.