Campus Talk: Arkansas Career Education leader wins national award

Editor’s note: Each Tuesday, Talk Business & Politics provides “Campus Talk,” a recap and roundup of education news.

–––––––––––––––

ARKANSAS CAREER EDUCATION LEADER WINS NATIONAL AWARD
Dr. Charisse Childers, Director at the Arkansas Department of Career Education (ACE), won the 2016 Star of Education, Rising Star award recipient. The honor is awarded to state CTE (career technical education) directors who display “unequivocal dedication to and engagement with the goals and overall mission of Advance CTE,” one of the longest-standing national non-profits that represents State Directors and state leaders responsible for secondary, postsecondary and adult Career Technical Education (CTE) across all 50 states and U.S. territories.

Appointed to her position by Gov. Asa Hutchinson in January 2015, Childers helped pass Act 892, which better aligns workforce development programs with the skills needed by employers in the state. In addition to working hard on legislative priorities that impact CTE in the state, Childers directs the vision and work of almost 600 employees; engages a 21-member industry-led board; and oversees workforce training grants, adult education and rehabilitation services in the state of Arkansas.

Previous to serving in her role as State CTE Director, Childers spent more than eight years as the executive director of Accelerate Arkansas, an organization dedicated to building Arkansas’ knowledge-based economy. She also worked in the K-12 space as a CTE educator for six years, and then as the director of the College Now Program where she developed and administered a college and technical preparatory program consortium for 20 secondary schools.

ARKANSAS FFA TO HOLD STATE CONVENTION, CELEBRATE RETIREMENT OF LONGTIME ADVISORS
The 89th annual FFA state convention will be held June 1-3 in at Camp Couchdale in Hot Springs. Arkansas FFA is a program of the Arkansas Department of Career Education (ACE) and allows students to learn about various career opportunities in agriculture. Advisors are exposed to the latest trends and best practices in agriculture that they share with students.

At this year’s convention, National FFA President Taylor McNeel will serve as the keynote speaker at the Wednesday night session, which begins at 6:30 p.m. McNeel was born and raised in Vilonia and is a former Arkansas FFA President. She is currently on sabbatical from Southern Arkansas University as she travels the country to promote FFA.

Also, Arkansas FFA State Advisor Marion Fletcher will be retiring after 53 years in agriculture education. Fletcher will be honored during a reception on Friday June 3 at 7:00 a.m. and will speak at the 9:30 a.m. session. Troy Buck, another FFA supporter and agriculture educator is retiring after 55 years. He just finished his teaching career at Centerpoint High School in Amity (Clark County).

BARNHOUSE LEAVING JEFFERSON COUNTY FOR ARKANSAS RESEARCH ALLIANCE
Bryan Barnhouse, who has spent 6 years with the Economic Development Alliance for Jefferson County will be taking a new role with the Arkansas Research Alliance. The ARA is a public-private partnership founded in 2008 that invests in educational research to stimulate innovation, encourage collaboration, and strengthen economic opportunities in state. Barnhouse will be based in Little Rock.