NEWPORT — Kenny Black, a 1972 graduate of Newport High School, is living his lifelong dream.
Black is starting his 32nd year in the school district, having been promoted to the high school after revitalizing the junior high, where he served as principal for two years.
However, Black doesn’t take all the credit for the turnaround. Just like when he was a successful coach, he credits the staff for their dedication in implementing the changes needed.
“We have struggled for years and years at the junior high academically,” Black said. “We would get close to getting off school improvement and then not make our test scores. When I took over as principal three years ago, the entire staff dedicated themselves to getting off school improvement. With a lot of hard work and a great group of kids, we made our scores the first year. There were lots of tears of happiness, but everyone knew that to get off improvement, we had to make scores two years in a row. Everyone worked even harder, and we finally did it. We became an achieving school and off school improvement for the first time in 11 years.”
All that hard work didn’t go unnoticed. Newport Superintendent Larry Bennett was soon notified by the state that the junior high school had been selected as an exemplary school for the state of Arkansas. Only nine schools from the entire state were selected.
Black said he was stunned by what occurred over the following few weeks.
“Dr. Bennett asked me to come see him in late September of the 2013 school year,” Black said. “He asked me if I would be interested in becoming the high school principal. I told him I would sit down in the spring and discuss it. He said ‘I’m not talking about next year, I’m talking about next week.’”
Although stunned, I thought about what an honor it would be to lead Newport High School. I became high school principal on Oct.1, 2013, and had a great first year.”
Anyone who lives in the community is well aware of Kenny Black’s love for the community, but it’s not just Kenny who lives and breathes Newport tradition; his two brothers are equally active. Both David and Bud Black are also honor graduates of Newport High School, and both were great athletes.
Bud, the longtime voice of the Greyhounds, broadcast his first games for Newport on the radio when he was 13 years old. He did the radio broadcast for many years until he and David got into the TV business with Newport Cable TV Channel 15.
Bud and David both continue to have a love for the school and its athletic programs to this day. David is still the play-by-play announcer for their TV football broadcasts.
Not only was Kenny Black successful as an administrator. His coaching career is also one to be admired.
He coached in five state-championship games — three in football and two in baseball. Newport won the state football championship in 1991 under the leadership of Bill Keedy.
“There is not a better man to coach with than Bill Keedy,” Black said. “I was honored to work with Coach Keedy for many years.”
In 1989, Butch Lochala approached Black with the idea of bringing baseball back to the high school. The school hadn’t had a baseball team since the early ’60s.
Three years later, Black had the Greyhounds in the state-championship game.
“I enjoyed baseball and was able to coach it for 11 years,” he said. “We went to the state tournament eight times. The baseball program is still a pride and joy for me today. In baseball, we had one of the top five programs in the state. Our 1998 team finished third ranked overall, in all classifications. If my facts are correct, this is the highest finish for any Newport High school athletic team in the history of the school.”
Black said the community and his love for the town and the school make him one of the happiest people in Newport.
“We have a wonderful faculty and support staff,” he said. “I guess you could say I’m living a dream. This is my home, and I would not want to be anywhere else. Maybe I can hang on for another year or two. Not to put any pressure on our coaches, but this could be one of those memorable seasons for the Greyhounds. Go ’Hounds!”