The Scene_December 2019

The










News Events Staff Announcements

December 2019


ACTI Students and Staff Help Spread Holiday Cheer
Calendar of Events
he historic Arlington all got involved and just had
Resort Hotel and Spa a really fun time getting this
Trecently held their Holiday done.” Students involverd in December 24
Christmas Eve
Lighting Ceremony to kick off the project were: Paul Hayes, All state offices are closed
the season in Hot Springs. This Jamison Smith, Eli Dewitte,
year, the Arlington’s decorations Juan Perales, Chase White,
include a new Santa and his and Justin Pierce. During the December 25
reindeer courtesy of ACTI lighting ceremony, the Arlington Christmas Day
students and staff. Earlier this recognized the contributions of All state offices are closed
year, the construction classes ACTI by presenting the builders
at ACTI, under the direction of with certificates of appreciation,
instructor David Morrow, built hotel merchandise, and
Santa, his sleigh, and all of invitations for them and their
the reindeer for the Arlington. families to a free dinner at
Morrow’s granddaughter, the Arlington. Santa and his
Alleeya Gregory, used her reindeer will be on display on
artistic talent to help paint top of the Arlington through the January 1
the details of the project. “We holiday season and for many New Year’s Day
just had a big-time with this more to come! All state offices are closed
project,” said Morrow. “We















The




A publication by the Arkansas
Rehabilitation Services
Communication Department.
Commissioner
Alan McClain

Communications Department
Chip McAfee
Central Office has moved! Director of Communications
Monica Finney
Susan King
he staff at the Arkansas Caty Young
Rehabilitation Services [email protected]
TCentral Office has moved ARCareerEd.org
from 525 and 601 W. Capitol,
Little Rock, AR 72201 to
1 Commerce Way, Little Rock, @ARCareerEd
AR 72202. The building was
the former Verizon Wireless
building and the address was
formerly 1 Verizon Drive.

The

December 2019 Page 2





Birthdays Welcome August-November New Hires

Dec. 1 Jauan Flint
Dec. 1 Rosetta Lusk
Dec. 2 Janie Crafford
Dec. 2 Shannon Davis
Dec. 2 Judy Skerbitz
Dec. 3 Tonya Hill
Dec. 4 Walter Holley
Dec. 4 William Teague
Dec. 7 Stephanie Ugbaja
Dec. 8 LaDonna Fusilier Anne T. Rystrom Monica Finney
Dec. 8 Sharon Scott ARS/Fayetteville ARS/Communications
Dec. 9 Cary Crawford Counselor Administrative Specialist
Dec. 9 Juanita Grant
Dec. 10 Mary Hunt
Dec. 10 Lorraine Miller
Dec. 11 Patricia Howard
Dec. 12 Jennifer Ragsdale
Dec. 13 Valencia Butler
Dec. 14 Fredrick Harris
Dec. 14 Jeff Jackson
Dec. 17 Cynthia Gleghorn
Dec. 18 Kristin Jackson LaShunda Stokes Sheena Eggerson
Dec. 18 Misty Shaw ARS/Little Rock ARS/Little Rock
Dec. 21 Conique Gamble Administrative Specialist Administrative Specialist
Dec. 21 Pamela Rochell
Dec. 22 Shannan Faulkner
Dec. 23 Julie Hicks
Dec. 23 Rachel Howell
Dec. 23 Teresa Milner
Dec. 25 James McCune
Dec. 25 Claire Weaver
Dec. 28 William Craver
Dec. 28 Leifel Jackson Cory Parsons Trenton Cowling
Dec. 28 Sunnie Martin
Dec. 28 Jimmy Smoke ARS/Russellville ARS/Fayetteville
Dec. 29 Niketa Nash Counselor Vocational Rehabilitation
Dec. 31 Pamela Bonham Placement Specialist
Dec. 31 Keondra Hampton









Monica Knight
ARS/Conway
Administrative Specialist



Students from Film Camp Premiere Movie in Little Rock


n Wednesday, November
13, a Red Carpet Premiere
Owas held for our Film
Camp student movie, ‘30 Minutes
Tonight’. Earlier, Joey Travolta
and his Inclusion Films held their
third film camp in the state for high
school students with disabilities.
During the week-long camp,
students wrote, shot, and acted in
their original movies. Film Camp
students, parents, ARS staff,
and more attended the premiere
at the Rob Robinson Theater in
downtown Little Rock.

The

December 2019 Page 3



SMT Treats Central Office Staff to Breakfast



taff from the Arkansas
Rehabilitation Services
SCentral Office enjoyed a
pancake breakfast as they said
goodbye to their old home.
Members of the Senior
Management Team (SMT) served
eggs, bacon, fruit, and pancakes.
During the meal, offices within ARS
competed against each other in
rounds of the game Family Feud.
This was the last group meal Program Operations and Field Services
for staff in the building at 525 W. team competes against the Human
Capitol, Little Rock, AR 72201. Resources team in an ARS-themed Family
Feud game.
ARS Central Office will now be
located at 1 Commerce Way (
formerly 1 Verizon Drive), Little Associate Commissioner for Access and
Rock, AR 72202, with other Accommodations Nathan Winter (front)
flips pancakes as Director of Community
divisions within the newly formed Service Programs Lynn Franquemont
Department of Commerce. (back) scoops batter onto the griddle.



SDHH Counselor of the Quarter: Misty Shaw


Submitted by: Cheryl Seymore

isty Shaw has been
a VR/SDHH/Pre-ETS
Mcounselor for Region 8
(Texarkana) for seven years. She
has a Master of Arts in Counseling
from the University of Arkansas
at Little Rock and is a member
of the National Association
of Multicultural Rehabilitation
Concerns- (NAMRC) and the
Miller- Bowie Health Coalition.
Shaw likes to approach every
day with positive energy and
passion. “I love to help individuals,”
Shaw said. “What I like best in
rehabilitation counseling is seeing
the change in my clients from their
intake appointment to their closure
appointment. It is like night and Misty Shaw (third from left) is pictured with Cheryl Seymore, Rehabilitation Area Manager
for SDHH (left); Glenn Anderson, Ph.D., Associate Professor at the University of
day. Their self-esteem may start Arkansas at Little Rock (second from left); and Holly Ketchum, Program Specialist for the
at a level of three, but by the time Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
we are closing the case, it moves
to a level ten. It is because they of not hearing the baby cry. Our deaf. She is a grandmother (Gram)
recognize that someone cares, agency was able to purchase to a sassy diva of a granddaughter
and there is help available.” accommodating devices to allow who is two, and a daredevil of
Shaw has had many clients him to be left alone with his child a grandson who is one. In her
that have made an impact on her independently. We also helped him free time, she said that she
life. Her first SDHH case stands find employment, which allowed enjoys spending time with family
out the most. “I had a young man him to take care of his family. The and teaching her grandchildren
with a newborn baby seeking impact that I saw in this young man American Sign Language. She
employment,” Shaw said. “I found lit a fire in me to really want to help also enjoys working with the youth
out he could not be left alone others.” group at church and spreading
with his baby due to being afraid Shaw is a wife and a mother to awareness concerning the Deaf
one girl and three boys, one who is community.



Please e-mail any submissions for The Scene to [email protected].

The

December 2019 Page 4



Successes in the Field




Region 6 Region 5 Region 8





















Shawna Reaves opened her resale store
Barclay’s Beginnings in October 2018.

hawna Reaves, from Ola,
Carole Ellis restocks clothes at her new AR, has been a client of
job TJ Maxx.
SArkansas Rehabilitation
Services since March 2018. She
arole Ellis came to the was diagnosed with Chronic Robert Smith stands beside his big rig
Arkansas Rehabilitation Venous Insufficiency several that he now drives after a career change
CServices’ Benton Field years ago. Due to this, Ms. with the help of ARS.
Office in March of 2019, seeking Reaves has trouble standing obert Smith sought
assistance with her hearing loss. for more than an hour and often assistance from Arkansas
Ms. Ellis desperately wanted to has to elevate her legs to avoid RRehabilitation Services after
return to work as she could not blood clots. Ms. Reaves came to financial hardship due to being
make ends meet financially. At Arkansas Rehabilitation Services laid off from his previous job and
75 years old, she was concerned with a vision that would lead inability to find a new position. After
about re-entering employment to her financial independence, his struggles, Robert was ready for
at her age, but Ms. Ellis found as well as help her community a career change for fear of being
out that a great work attitude is grow. Ms. Reaves worked hard laid off again in the industrial field.
what matters most to employers. and put in many hours, creating ARS helped guide Robert to a new
Thanks to the ARS staff, she now her small business plan, which career field. After much discussion
loves her job as a Fitting Room was approved by Jeff Jackson in and research, Robert decided to
Attendant at TJ Maxx in Benton. October 2018. She proudly opened pursue a career in Transportation
Ms. Ellis enjoys interacting with Barclay’s Beginnings- a store that and earn his Commercial Driver
the customers as she checks them makes the old new again- in March License (CDL). ARS assisted
in and out of the dressing rooms 2019. Ms. Reaves sells recycled Robert in achieving his CDL with
and returns garments to the floor. and upcycled items, but also the Department of Transportation,
Ms. Ellis said she used to walk two allows residents from the town to and he is now employed with
miles daily for exercise, but since rent space to sell their items. Ward Timber. Earning his license
becoming employed, she allows Ms. Reaves’s case with has allowed him to pay off debt,
her steps at work to take the place Arkansas Rehabilitation Services which lowered his stress level. He
of her daily workout. Ms. Ellis was was successfully closed in August is also in the process of assisting
so appreciative of ARS for giving 2019 as she is still thriving with his daughter to purchase a mobile
her an opportunity and assisting Barclay’s Beginning and does not home. Robert says that without the
in a time of need. Ellis enjoys require any further assistance with assistance of ARS, he would have
working with her coworkers and gaining employment. Ms. Reaves never recognized his abilities to
states her managers are awesome is an excellent example of how, earn his license.
leaders. Ellis said, “You have with the right support, attitude, and
to be determined to work, and determination, goals can become
your disability doesn’t make you a reality.
disabled.”







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