Brandon Smith | Stories

Steered Straight: Group gives bold message on addiction prevention The middle Tennessee nonprofit group Steered Straight visited the Hot Springs School District on Monday to warn students just how serious the repercussions of addiction can be. While addictions can wr... October 1, 2023

WATCH | Back-to-back kickoff returns by Mahone catapult Eagles In a game of quick turnarounds and fast-paced play, the Cutter Morning Star Eagles (3-2) used second-half momentum to take down the Marshall Bobcats (1-4) 60-42 Friday night at Eagle Stadium.After tra... September 30, 2023

NPC enrollment: Overall numbers steady; concurrent numbers rise Preliminary fall enrollment numbers at National Park College released this week show a total head count for credit and concurrent enrollment of 2,316 students compared to 2,336 last fall. The number o... September 30, 2023

WATCH | Report card: Local schools’ letter grades remain steady Annual school letter grades released by the Arkansas Department of Education on Wednesday indicate a steady trend in scores for schools in Garland County compared to last year.According to the data, L... September 29, 2023

WATCH | Fishing Derby: HSBOR hosts 26th Special Olympics event The Hot Springs Board of Realtors hosted its 26th Annual Special Olympics Fishing Derby Wednesday at Family Park, attended by roughly 300 students in grades K-12 in the Hot Springs area.The event bene... September 28, 2023

WATCH | Stricter cellphone policy a success for MP schools MOUNTAIN PINE -- Mountain Pine High School Principal James Galarza says implementing a new, stricter cellphone policy this fall has been a great success, even in unexpected ways.The school board appro... September 26, 2023

WATCH | CMS sees growth in CTE offerings With the growing importance being placed on career and technical education in today's public schools, educators are offering more CTE programs than ever.Nancy Anderson, superintendent of the Cutte... September 24, 2023

WATCH | HSSD looks to pilot school-based peer recovery program Hot Springs could become the first school district in Arkansas to implement a school-based peer recovery program after its school board on Tuesday unanimously approved submitting a proposal to become ... September 23, 2023

WATCH | ‘Raising people up’: Fall style show raises over $55,000 for scholarships The Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund hosted its 13th annual style show luncheon Thursday at Vapors Live, which featured a silent auction, cash bar, fashion show, live entertainment, and a cater... September 22, 2023

LH school board approves dismissal in April for eclipse PEARCY -- The 2024 total solar eclipse is still months away, but Garland County schools are already preparing for the possibility of heavy traffic and an influx of tourists by dismissing school on Apr... September 20, 2023

WATCH | ‘Peace Week’: Twelve finalists attend Garland County schools Garland County had 12 students to be named finalists in the "Arkansas Peace Week" Youth Essay Contest and Youth Art Contest on Monday.Arkansas Peace Week is celebrated each year during the t... September 19, 2023

ASMSA names new director of institutional advancement The Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts recently announced the hiring of Ashley Bennett as the school's new director of institutional development. Bennett, who most recently served... September 18, 2023

WATCH | Wolves down Bombers in shootout PEARCY -- The case for never giving up and fighting till the end was made in grand fashion by the Wolves Friday night, as they took down Mountain Home 44-38 in a shootout at Wolf Stadium.With Lake Ham... September 16, 2023

WATCH | Community service requirement poses challenge for schools JESSIEVILLE -- One of the lesser-known aspects of the Arkansas LEARNS Act is a new community service requirement for high school students.Arkansas Act 648 of 1993 formerly allowed students the option ... September 16, 2023

WATCH | Top 300: Lakeside freshman a finalist in national innovator challenge Lakeside High School freshman, Anna Valdivia, was one of 300 students chosen nationwide, and the only one from Arkansas, as a finalist in the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovator Challenge for he... September 15, 2023

Pearcy senior among National Merit program scholarship semifinalists Nine high school seniors at the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts, including a Garland County student, were among 127 semifinalists statewide in the 2024 National Merit Scholarsh... September 13, 2023

WATCH | HSMP: Cultivating local workforce at the forefront EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the final installment of a continuing series of articles exploring the origin, the goals, and the future, of the Hot Springs Metro Partnership.As the Hot Springs Metro Partn... September 12, 2023

WATCH | HSMP: Long history brought about change in Hot Springs EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the second installment of a continuing series of articles exploring the origin, the goals, and the future, of the Hot Springs Metro Partnership.The Hot Springs Metro Partner... September 11, 2023

WATCH | HSMP: Promoting the local economy from behind the scenes EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the first installment of a continuing series of articles exploring the origin, the goals, and the future, of the Hot Springs Metro Partnership.As Garland County's public... September 10, 2023

MP’s EAST Initiative earns Program of Distinction MOUNTAIN PINE -- Mountain Pine High School's EAST Initiative was recently named one of 70 schools in the state, and one of two in Garland County, to earn the initiative's Program of Influence distinct... September 10, 2023

WATCH | Desegregation case: NAACP’s attorney questions schools’ ‘complete compliance’ The attorney representing the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People says he plans to seek more time for basic discovery before filing a response to a motion b... September 9, 2023

HSSD bus involved in collision; no injuries reported A Hot Springs School District bus was involved in a collision with a passenger car at the intersection of Silver and Crescent streets at around 3:25 p.m. Thursday, according to a school spokesman. HSS... September 7, 2023

NAACP ‘appalled’ at schools’ motion to end deseg agreement The Hot Springs Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People says it is "appalled" by a motion filed last week by Garland County's seven public school districts seeking to ... September 7, 2023

WATCH | Steelwork begins on new ASMSA admin building Steelwork has started on the new campus administration building at the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts, as the school moves closer to vacating the old St. Joseph's Hospital... September 5, 2023

WATCH | ‘Mood Boost’: HSSD Chartwells educates students on healthy foods The Hot Springs School District's food service partner, Chartwells, has introduced a "Mood Boost" program this week that educates students on how healthy eating patterns can positively a... September 3, 2023

Rams set pace early, hold on against Cyclones If there's one thing that describes Lakeside football so far this season, it's excitement. The Rams picked up their second win Friday night at Lakeside Stadium, defeating Russellville 36-31.Th... September 2, 2023

Schools ask court to end ‘92 desegregation order Garland County's seven public school districts filed a motion Thursday in U.S. District Court at Hot Springs to terminate the 1992 court order adopting the School Desegregation Settlement Agreement, a... September 2, 2023

Area schools move closer to AWIN access Public school districts in Garland County are getting closer to having access to the Arkansas Wireless Information Network communications system, a project partially funded by American Rescue Plan Act... August 30, 2023

WATCH | LH works to increase students’ College and Career Readiness PEARCY -- With an increasing focus on preparing students for life after high school, whether it includes college or the immediate workforce, a key component of the preparation process involves the ACT... August 27, 2023

WATCH | ‘Incomparable legacy’: LH honors late agri teacher PEARCY -- A longtime educator in the Lake Hamilton School District, Melvin Daniel, died Wednesday shortly after being honored by the district with the naming of its new Future Farmers of America farm ... August 25, 2023

WATCH | ‘Better Together’: Lakeside starts new school year with Orr at helm The Lakeside School District started off the new school year with community spirit in mind Monday, adopting the theme "Better Together" as its guiding focus for the year."We're all ... August 24, 2023

WATCH | Walking the Walk: Fall style fundraiser will follow ASPSF’s inaugural celebration The Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund for the Ouachita Region hosted its inaugural Graduate & Alumni Celebration Aug. 12 at First Presbyterian Church, to bring current and past scholarship g... August 23, 2023

WATCH | Lake Hamilton ALE instructors recognized at state level PEARCY -- Two teachers in the Lake Hamilton School District's New Horizons Alternative Learning Environment program were recently recognized with top honors by the Arkansas Association of Alternat... August 20, 2023

WATCH | ‘Solid as a Rock’: Jessieville’s theme celebrates resilience after tornado JESSIEVILLE -- The Jessieville School District began the new school year with excitement Wednesday, hosting its annual back-to-school assembly and celebrating the year's new theme of "Solid a... August 19, 2023

Area schools settle into bus routines Public school officials in Garland County are asking parents and the community to be patient as districts settle into their new bus routines this first week of school.The Lake Hamilton School District... August 18, 2023

WATCH | Proactive approach: HSSD’s concealed weapons detector adds layer of safety As school safety remains a top priority this fall for the Hot Springs School District, district Police Chief Carl Seymour says the school's new concealed weapons detection demonstrates a proactive app... August 17, 2023

WATCH | Mountain Pine, CMS start 4-day classroom plans MOUNTAIN PINE -- Back-to-school excitement was in the air as students in the Mountain Pine and Cutter Morning Star school districts started classes on Tuesday.The two districts are the only public sch... August 16, 2023

WATCH | ‘Game On’: Students settle ‘back to routine,’ meet new friends Students settled back into their normal classroom routines Monday as the Hot Springs, Lake Hamilton, and Fountain Lake public school districts kicked off their first day of school.Fountain Lake School... August 15, 2023

Students return to classrooms this week Students in most of Garland County's public school districts head back to the classroom this week, with the Hot Springs, Lake Hamilton, and Fountain Lake school districts starting today, the Mountain ... August 14, 2023

Lakeside schools to start back a week later due to early planning While most Garland County public school districts return to the classroom starting Monday, students in the Lakeside School District will have an extra week to prepare. Lakeside will start classes on M... August 13, 2023

WATCH | CAPES backers cite confusion following petition drive failure After a petition to put the LEARNS Act to a referendum in the November 2024 general election came up short 978 signatures last week, local representatives from the Citizens for Arkansas Public Educati... August 8, 2023

CMS hosts Early Start Writer’s Workshop Cutter Morning Star High School hosted its first Early Start Writer's Workshop last week to help prepare advanced placement juniors and seniors for the rigors of the upcoming school year.The works... August 7, 2023

WATCH | LS students glimpse college life with campus tours Roughly 30 upcoming juniors and seniors at Lakeside High School had a chance to see what college life is like by participating in the school's inaugural college tour series this summer.While he ho... August 6, 2023

WATCH | Former LS student says education is key to tackling mental health Emma Brown, a former Lakeside High School student and current student at National Park College, says mental health is a real issue in schools today but the solution lies in education and reaching stud... August 5, 2023

WATCH | FAA recognizes local airplane mechanic with award for 50 years of service Richard "Skip" Anderson, an employee at Cobalt Aero Services, was recently recognized by the Federal Aviation Administration in a surprise ceremony, where he was presented the Charles Taylor... August 3, 2023

BACK TO SCHOOL | Fountain Lake School District First day of school: Aug. 14.Open house: Aug. 10 from 5-7 p.m. (fifth-grade orientation will be held Aug. 3 from 5-7 p.m.).New student registration: Aug. 2 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Pre-K through 12th g... July 30, 2023

BACK TO SCHOOL | Mountain Pine School District First day of school: Aug. 15.The 2023-24 school year will be a four-day week, with no school on Mondays.Open house: Aug. 10 from 5:30-7 p.m. Elementary students will meet in the auditorium from 5:30-6... July 30, 2023

BACK TO SCHOOL | Jessieville School Districtt First day of school: Aug. 16.Open house: Aug. 10 from 3:30-7:30 p.m.New student registration: Aug. 1-2 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Aug. 3 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.About: "The Jessieville School Distr... July 30, 2023

BACK TO SCHOOL | Hot Springs School District First day of school: Aug. 14.Open house: Aug. 10 from 4-6 p.m. at the elementary schools, and 5-7 p.m. at the secondary schools.New student registration: July 24-28 for all students. In order to compl... July 30, 2023

BACK TO SCHOOL | Champion Christian College First day of school: Aug. 14.Registration: Registration is currently open through Saturday, Aug. 12. The process begins with filling out an application online at https://www.champion.edu/apply. Once r... July 30, 2023

Stories by Brandon Smith

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