Community center open house reset
Because of weather forecasts, the ribbon-cutting and open house of the newly renovated Pine Bluff Community Center has been rescheduled for Sunday from 3-6 p.m. The facility is the former Merrill Center at 1000 S. Ash St.
The public is invited to attend to tour the revised facility, which now includes a dance studio, computer lab, instructional kitchen, art room, boxing gym, reading room and recording studio, according to a news release from the mayor's office.
Free hot dogs, hamburgers and bottled water will be available at the event. Covid-19 safeguards will be implemented.
UAMS sets health care field program
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences regional campuses will host a statewide virtual summer enrichment program for 10th- through 12th-graders interested in learning about careers in health care.
Registration ends April 2 for the "Find Your Future in Health Care" program. The program will be offered from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 29-July 1 and July 13-15, according to a news release.
Participants will learn from professionals across a variety of medical careers, take virtual tours through medical facilities, and engage in interactive, hands-on activities. The program will provide all participants with a registration kit that includes the supplies needed.
"We want students in every corner of the state to learn more about careers in the medical field and where the needs are right here in Arkansas," said Yalanda Merrell, a recruiting specialist at the UAMS Northeast regional campus in Jonesboro. "Our goal is to recruit, educate and train a diverse group of students for the future for a better state of health."
This program is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as part of an annual award totaling $2,371,760 with 50 percent financed with non-governmental sources.
Registration for the program is available at regionalcampuses.uams.edu/find-your-future-in-healthcare or by contacting Merrell at yyoung@uams.edu.
Scholarships offered by Rice program
High school students graduating in 2022 are eligible to apply for up to $15,000 in scholarship funding in the Arkansas Rice's "Rice Reps" program. The 5-month program will help educate students about the rice industry while equipping them to act as advocates in their communities and on social media, according to a news release.
Participants actively participate in activities from May through September designed to teach students about rice farming and the importance of the Arkansas rice industry here and abroad. Participants are also asked to attend four on-site experiences.
To apply online, students should complete the application at https://form.jotform.com/210764597981167 before the April 16 deadline. Details: https://www.arkansasrice.org/rice-reps.