School news

FHS

A Fayetteville High School student took second place in an international essay contest focused on human genetics.

Macey Hunter, a senior at Fayetteville High, will receive a $600 prize for her submission to the 2024 DNA Day Essay Contest, according to a news release from the American Society of Human Genetics.

More than 1,300 essays were submitted from 44 U.S. states and 52 countries, the highest number of submissions and greatest number of participating countries since the contest began in 2006.

INSTITUTE FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS

The Institute for the Creative Arts in Fort Smith, the first performing and visual arts charter high school in Arkansas, has announced its founding Board of Directors — Jeannie Cole, David Cravens, Rick Foti, JoAnna Lever and Kaylee Rainwater.

Cole, board chairman, has an extensive background in music, served on the Fort Smith Public School Board for 23 years and has been the Arkansas PTA president.

Cravens, Board vice chairman, is the former president of Regions Bank for the Fort Smith region, where he served for 31 years. He also served on the board for Trinity Catholic School.

Foti, secretary of the ICA Board, holds a Doctorate of Educational Administration from UMKC and a Bachelor’s Degree in Music from Hendrix College. He has served in elementary and special education in Missouri, Mississippi, and Arkansas including as principal at Parker and Trusty elementary schools.

Lever holds a Master of Education in Educational Leadership and Administration from the University of Arkansas and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and Teaching from Arkansas Tech University. JoAnna has held the position of director of Charter Development for the Arkansas Public School Resource Center and is currently the director of community relations for the Rogers Public Schools.

Rainwater is working on her graduate degree in Banking and is the vice president of Commercial Banking for Arvest Bank Fort Smith.

The high school, called the Institute for the Creative Arts, will open with students entering grades 9-11 in 2024 with grade 12 added in the fall of 2025. As a public charter school, it is tuition-free and open to all students.

Information: csafortsmith. org.

HARRISON MIDDLE SCHOOL

Stephanie Benton, an English Language Arts teacher at Harrison Middle School in Boone County, is Arkansas Farm Bureau’s 2024 Ag in the Classroom Outstanding Teacher of the Year. Benton was recognized April 11 during a special presentation at the school.

Farm Bureau established the award in 2006 recognizing teachers with exemplary programs integrating agricultural concepts into curricula.

Benton earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Arkansas Tech University in 2004 and a Master of Reading from the University of Central Arkansas in 2006. She taught fourth grade for eight years before being appointed as the K-4 Literacy Coach at Bergman Elementary. In 2016, she became the eighth-grade English Language Arts teacher at Harrison Middle School.

As the recipient of the AITC award, Benton receives $1,000, an iPad Air tablet and a scholarship to the 2024 National Ag in the Classroom Conference in Salt Lake City.

DARBY MIDDLE SCHOOL

Darby Middle School counselor Cherri Byford earned the title of Middle-Level Counselor of the Year from the Arkansas School Counselor Association. This recognition reflects her outstanding commitment to supporting her students’ academic, social, and emotional development. Byford was recently named Regional School Counselor of the Year by the Northwest Arkansas School Counselor Association.

Byford, along with Darby Middle School in Fort Smith, was named a Recognized American School Counselor Association Model Program, one of the first in Arkansas to receive this recognition. Send school news to features@nwaonline.com.