And They’re Off… … It is hard to believe that another summer has come and gone. The school supplies have been purchased and soon, students and parents will meet the new teacher(s) who will be the main educational influence in their lives for the next nine months. It is thrilling for some, terrifying for others, but good for all. It’s time to go back to school. … When Jack started kindergarten, my focus was solely on him throughout each day. Would he love school? Would he hate it? Would he make sweet friends? Would he be able to make it for seven whole hours without seeing my face?
Have you ever wondered why a community our size would need three separate colleges? … That answer is quickly settled when you learn just how unique each campus is. For instance, did you know that University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana (UAHT) is on the verge of installing Arkansas’ first ever college solar training lab? Were you aware the students at Texas A&M University-Texarkana ( TAMU-T) have access to their own Starbucks? What about the cutting-edge, industry standard equipment used in the trade courses at Texarkana College (TC)?
“Who in their right mind would ever want to serve on a public school board?” … I was asked that question in 1997 when I first sought election to the Texarkana Independent School District Board of Trustees. Twenty-four years later, 14 of which I spent as a TISD Trustee (1997 to 2003 and 2013 to the present), I can happily report that I have never found a more rewarding experience. … School board members (or trustees) are elected by voters in the school districts they serve to make important decisions about their local schools.
Choosing a school is one of the biggest decisions you make for your child. A very reasonable fear many parents have is the transition a child makes from the gentle world of home to a large, busy schooling environment. Fortunately, we are blessed in Texarkana with wonderful options, making this transition easier. A smaller campus is a good option for some families because they are often more conducive to individual care while still achieving excellent academic outcomes. When a child has access to a smaller school environment, some find that in education, bigger is not always better!
Coming into the Miss America Organization as a first-time local title holder, I thought I knew who I was and who I was meant to be. When I graduated college in 2019, I was set on becoming an MD/PhD. I had a 519 on the MCAT, the right resume, the right volunteer service and the right credentials. But something was missing. I was ready to begin a ten-year journey into medicine, and I felt purposeless.
When I think about my Miss Arkansas experience, I think about dreaming big, finding my voice, exhibiting resilience, building friendships, and cherishing family.
Hello! My name is Melody Stotts, and I hold the title of Miss Southwest Arkansas 2020. I never pictured myself as a pageant girl. I grew up following the Miss Arkansas Competition with my mom. We enjoyed watching the talent portion the most, especially the vocalists.
Growing up in an athletic family with brothers being star football players and wrestlers, I never thought the game of golf would become the thing I am most passionate about in life. At a young age, I knew I wanted to pave my own path and accomplish my own goals that would be set by myself instead of following in the footsteps of doing the exact things my older brothers had accomplished. The game of golf was introduced to me at the age of three by my father after giving me my very first set of plastic clubs.
If you would have asked fourth grade Izzy where she saw herself in five or ten years, I can assure you the Miss Arkansas stage would not have been among the answers. I remember from my childhood, the young women who walked the stage were poised, polished and put together, and as a child I was the purest form of “tom-boy” a young girl could be.
On January 6, 2021, Congressman Pat Fallon was at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., just three days into his newly elected office representing the Fourth Congressional District of Texas. What began as a normal day on the Chamber floor ended historically as the Capitol was stormed by a rioting mob. … “We were sitting in the Chamber at the Capitol when somebody whispered in Nancy Pelosi’s ear, and she left,” recalled Congressman Fallon. “The Capitol police came on the microphone and said there had been a breach in the Capitol, and we were in lockdown. Nobody knew what was going on.