Education Foundation honors six

SEARCY — Searcy has always been behind its school district, and with the formation of the Searcy Education Foundation in 2002, community leaders found a way to provide additional funding to the district.

Since 2004, the foundation has held a banquet to honor certain educators and supporters of the district. Thursday night, four educators and two Searcy alumni were inducted into the Searcy High School Hall of Honor.

Those honored were selected from nominations submitted by the public to the alumni committee of the foundation, and the foundation board chose the following:

◊Calvin Estes, assistant superintendent for support services and special programs for Searcy Public Schools;

◊Betty Wallis, retired Searcy High School biology teacher;

◊Carrie Ann Washington, retired special-education teacher;

◊Phillis Wood, a retired elementaryschool teacher;

◊Justice Cliff Hoofman, a former state senator who serves on the Arkansas State Court of Appeals; and

◊Vernon Williams, who served as a longtime school board member and community leader, who willbe honored posthumously.

“We are very pleased with the slate of inductees and feel as though all are most deserving of this esteemed honor ” Watson Bell Searcy EducationFoundation alumni committee chairman, said in a press release issued by the school.

“We look forward to an enjoyable evening as we celebrate this annual event.”

One of the goals of the foundation is to provide private money to educational programs that have either not been funded or been underfunded by the school district’s operating budget.

“Teachers and students have greatly benefited in that the grant monies are used topurchase resources for the classroom that may not be covered under the normal operating budget,” said Betsy Baily, school and community coordinator for the Searcy Public Schools.

“For example, several teachers have purchased audio books to act as additional resources for struggling readers. … The foundation has provided grants for a large spectrum of curricula, including math, science, social studies and literacy.”

The Hall of Honor banquet is the main fundraiser for the foundation.

“It is an evening of reminiscing for educators andSearcy High School graduates,” Bailey said. “The 2012 Hall of Honor class is certainly deserving of the Outstanding Educator and Outstanding Alumni awards.”

Previously inducted into the hall are James W. Ahlf, Morse Mallett, Fletcher Sullards, Johnnie Dacus Amonette, Wayne Hartsfield, Albert R. Yarnell, Nona Cheatham, Luther S. Hardin Sr., Fran Key, Justice Darrell D. Hickman, Dr. Porter Rodgers Jr., Bobbie Coleman, Ruth Fuller, Everlyn Green, Don Christian, Dr. J.D. Patterson, the Rev. Emil Williams, Tony Wood, Larry Crain Sr., Cal Skaggs, E.D. Yancey,Marjorie Martin, Jerry Mote, Billy Roy Floyd, Phillip H. Pyeatt, Jean Ann Bell, Glenda Kelley, Todd Carpenter, Perrin Jones, James “Red” Morgan, Dr. Tim Langford, Patsy Pryor, Lori Nielsen, Harold Haggard, Dr. Robert Elliott, Ginger Beebe, Mary Lou Dunn, Barbara Evans, Dr. Steven Barger, Nancy Showalter and A. Watson Bell.

To learn more about the Searcy Education Foundation, visit the school’s website at www.searcyschools.org.

Staff writer Jeanni Brosius can be reached at (501) 244-4307 or jbrosius@arkansasonline.com.

Three Rivers, Pages 129 on 01/29/2012

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