Fort Smith Metro News Briefs: Hall of Fame inductees, Fort Smith school ‘rewards,’ food support

Following are news brief items from the Fort Smith metro.

Hall of Fame
The Fort Smith Boys & Girls Clubs recently inducted eight people into its Hall of Fame. The banquet celebrates “the achievements and contributions of outstanding community members, volunteers, and supporters who have made a lasting impact on youth in Fort Smith,” according to the club.

Inductees are U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., Tom Clark, Alyse Eady Lemmond, Bobby Needham Jr., Buddy Peters, Janice Powell (posthumously), Jim Townley, and J.T. West.

“These individuals are recognized for their dedication, leadership, and lasting impact on the community and the mission of the Fort Smith Boys & Girls Clubs,” the club noted.

The Fort Smith Boys and Girls Club began in 1928 and has five facilities in the city. The club employs 55 and has around 3,000 children annually who use the facilities.

School Rewards
Woods Elementary and Cavanaugh Elementary schools in the Fort Smith Public School District have received state recognition for performance and growth from the Arkansas Department of Education’s Division of Elementary and Secondary Education.

According to the department’s “Reward Schools” program, Woods was recognized for being in the Top 6-10 Percent Performance category, with Cavanaugh in the Top 6-10 Percent Growth category. As a result of achieving the Reward School designation, Woods Elementary will receive $23,025.42, and Cavanaugh will receive $13,074.65.

“I am extremely proud of the outstanding work from educators and staff at both schools,” Superintendent Martin Mahan said. “The awards recognize their commitment to excellence and dedication to their students.”

School Foundation Awards
The Fort Smith Public Schools Foundation has announced the recipients of its Quarterly Employee Recognition Awards.

Following are the recipients for the first quarter.
• Ignite Award: Lexi Bates, Euper Lane Elementary School
• Kind Counts Award: Martha Elizondo – Northside High School
• Every Day Leader Award: Raydell Barbry – Beard Elementary School

The Ignite Award recognizes employees with five or fewer years of service. The Kind Counts Award recognizes employees who lead with kindness and build positive, supportive relationships. The Every Day Leader Award honors employees who consistently demonstrate leadership through their daily actions.

Nominations in the categories are accepted quarterly from district staff, students, parents, and community members, ensuring that all employees have the opportunity to be recognized for their impact and dedication.

“These awards recognize the remarkable people who make Fort Smith Public Schools an exceptional place to learn and work,” David Humphrey, the foundation president, said in a statement. “Each recipient represents the dedication, creativity, and heart that make our schools successful, and the foundation is proud to honor their contributions.”

Food Support
The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith recently distributed 194 food boxes to students and employees in response to increased need and uncertainty around federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits because of the federal government shutdown.

The effort, a collaboration between the Dave Stevens Lion Pride Pantry, the River Valley Regional Food Bank, and the UAFS Foundation, took place at the Stubblefield Center parking lot. Each box included a combination of frozen ground beef and nonperishable food items.

UAFS Chancellor Terisa Riley and members of the UAFS cabinet joined staff and student volunteers from the pantry and the Campus and Community Engagement office to distribute the meals. Meighan Pendergrass, executive director of campus health, recreation and wellness, said the pantry has seen an 18% increase in attendance since fall of 2024, with numbers already surpassing previous semester totals.

Oncologist Addition
Baptist Health Cancer Center-Fort Smith has hired Catherine Flannigan, an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), to its oncology and hematology care operation.

Flannigan earned a master’s degree in nursing from Texas Woman’s University in Denton and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Texas at Tyler. With a background in trauma and transplant surgery, she brings clinical experience to her role. Flannigan most recently cared for renal transplant and dialysis patients at a clinic in Alaska.

Flannigan joins Dr. Varant Arzoumanian, Kayla Moury, PA-C; and Maria Sanchez, APRN, in the Baptist Health Cancer Center-Fort Smith. The center is located inside Baptist Health-Fort Smith, 1001 Towson Ave.

ATU-Ozark ‘Micro-credentials’
Arkansas Tech University-Ozark Campus, in partnership with the Education Design Lab, is working on the launch of a new series of professional skills training micro-credentials designed to help upskill and reskill the workforce. The intended launch date is spring 2026.

The professional skills training will provide targeted learning opportunities in four key professional skill areas: industrial maintenance technician, community health advocate, fundamentals of supervision and digital marketing.

Micro-credentials are short, focused, learning experiences that center specific skills and competencies to allow students direct entry into the workforce. The credentials are not only aligned to in-demand skills across workforce and industry, but may also stack into existing academic programs at the college, according to the college.

The initiative is being led at ATU-Ozark by Erin Brickley, associate registrar, and Brianna Ingram, assistant director of academic services. Alina House, assistant director of fiscal affairs, and Brooke Elser, administrative specialist III, are serving as the project’s data leads.