JobReady December Issue 2018

December


2018


A Publication of the Arkansas Department of Career Education






































































Project SEARCH Graduate Gets to Work

And Give Back To Her Community

Our Mission: To prepare a job-ready, career-bound
workforce to meet the needs of Arkansas employers.



On the cover Table of Contents


Project SEARCH Graduate
®
Charnette Freeman loves being able Around the State
to work with children in her home Celebrating
community of Forrest City. 4 National 5 Check out what the

More information about Project Apprenticeship Department of Career
SEARCH Graduate Freeman and Week in Arkansas Education has been up
®
her job on Page 6. to around the state.

7 SEARCH Programs Staff Member with
JAG Recognizes
New Project
®
National Network
Open in Fort Smith
December 2018 and Pine Bluff 8 Leadership Award

A public information publication
of the Arkansas Department of Arkansas Arkansas
Career Education. Rehabilitation Students’
Director Services 10 App Shines
Charisse Childers, Ph.D. Guest Stars at National
Communications Department 10 on National Conference

Chip McAfee, Podcast
Director of Communications
Susan King
Ellice Scales
Caty Young Upcoming Events

[email protected]
Arkansas Department of December 13, 2018 December 24 &
Career Education State Rehabilitation Council December 25, 2018

Three Capitol Mall Meeting
Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 525 W. Capitol Ave. Christmas
501-682-1500 Little Rock, AR 72201
501-682-1509 fax 9:30 a.m. All state offices will be closed.
ARCareerEd.org


January 1, 2018 January 8, 2018
New Year's Day Career Education and
Workforce Development
All state offices will be closed. Board Meeting
Adult Education 525 W. Capitol Ave.
Arkansas Rehabilitation Services Little Rock, AR 72201
Career & Technical Education 1:30 p.m.
Office of Skills Development

2018 Year in Review




he Arkansas Department 170,935 of all Arkansas students grades
of Career Education
Thad another successful 7–12 are enrolled in
year of helping Arkansans CTE courses and
across the state gain job-
ready skills, complete career- 12,414 secondary
building programs, and meet
the career-related goals. The students completed
mission of the Department CTE programs of study
of Career Education is to
prepare a job-ready, career- representing all of the 16
bound workforce to meet the Career Clusters.
needs of Arkansas employers.
This infographic shows a few There are 44,589 students who are members
highlights from each of our
four divisions: Adult Education, of a Career and Technical
Arkansas Rehabilitation Student Organization
Services, Career and
Technical Education, and which provides skills desired
Office of Skills Development. in business and industry.



In FY18, Arkansas had
112 Adult The Opportunities for Work-Based

Apprenticeship Learning Program served ARS Field
388 students during the 2017-
Programs Program
2018 school year in 16 schools assisted
throughout Arkansas. 2,521




®
Arkansas has a GED pass rate

of 87% compared
with 4,943
to 79% nationwide. individuals
apprentices: Arkansas is ranked in with successful
3,245 Electrical; employment
1,303 Plumbing; the Top 5 nationally outcomes in
395 other crafts. for GED passers. fiscal year 2018.
®





3

Celebrating National Apprenticeship Week in Arkansas


overnor Asa Hutchinson
proclaimed Nov.
G12-16 as National
Apprenticeship Week (NAW)
in the state of Arkansas. NAW
is a national celebration that
offers leaders in business,
labor, education, and other
critical partners a chance to
demonstrate their support for
apprenticeship.
NAW also gives
apprenticeship sponsors Gov. Asa Hutchinson proclaims Nov.12-16 as National Apprenticeship Week in
the opportunity to showcase Arkansas.
their programs, facilities, and
apprentices in their community.
The week-long event highlights
the benefits of apprenticeship
in preparing a highly-skilled
workforce to meet the talent
needs of employers across
diverse industries.
Arkansas held many special
events across the state to
help celebrate this important
week including special guest
speakers and chili-cookoffs!

Judges rank the chili during the chili-cookoff that took place at the Northwest Arkansas
Plumbing School and Facilities Management in Fayetteville.


















A special guest speaker addresses the
Year 1 class of Electrical Apprenticeship
at Black River Technical College in
Paragould. The Evers Training Center in El Dorado celebrates NAW with a pizza party.


4

Little Rock Little Rock
















Chief of Field Services Carl Daughtery
(center) received a leadership award from
the Stand Foundation Leadership Institute.
FFA students, Victoria and Kristen
Lehmann, of Nemo-Vista High School
presented their turkey, Nellie, for Gov.
Little Rock Asa Hutchinson's Arkansas Turkey Week Hot Springs
proclamation.



Hot Springs







Staff from the Hot Springs Field Office
donated their time to help distribute food
through the Community Services Offices
Commodity Distribution at LakePointe
Church in Hot Springs.
The I Love LK Foundation donated $2,000
to CHI St. Vincent Project SEARCH last
®
month.
The Hot Springs Field Office hosted a Little Rock
transition fair on Nov. 30 for high school
juniors and seniors to learn about life after
Little Rock high school.




North Little Rock








Several staff members spent a
Friday evening preparing and serving
dinner to families living at the Ronald
McDonald House. Pictured above (l-r):
Gurdon High School Agriculture Science Ellice Scales, Administrative Specialist;
students presented what they are ARS Commissioner Alan McClain; Lisa
learning in their CTE classes through the Thompson, Personnel Manager; Dale
Forestry Equipment Training Simulators ACTI welding students attended the Turrentine, Rehabilitation Program
at the 83 Annual Arkansas Farm Bureau Arkansas Welding Expo to meet industry Specialist; and Catherine Cato-Smith,
rd
Convention. leaders. AKDC Program Manager.

5

Project SEARCH Graduate Gets to Work And Give Back To Her Community
®
harnette Freeman said
she loves going to
Cwork every day and the
children she works with love
having her there as well.
Freeman applied for Project
SEARCH Arkansas in the fall
®
of 2015. Project SEARCH
®
Arkansas is implemented in
partnership between ACCESS
Group, Inc. and Arkansas
Rehabilitation Services (ARS)
that is designed to prepare
young adults with intellectual
and developmental disabilities
for competitive integrated
employment. After successfully
participating in interviews Project SEARCH Graduate Charnette Freeman (center) loves being able to work with
®
and assessments, she was children in her home community of Forrest City.
selected to participate in the
Arkansas Children’s Hospital
Project SEARCH site fall 2016, amazing, and when Charnette said Judy Smith, Transition
®
graduating May 2017. applied for the job I thought it Director of Special Projects at
The ACCESS staff was an excellent opportunity for the Arkansas Department of
worked with her family and someone from our community to Career Education. “Observing
other stakeholders to secure be able to come back and work her at work, was an absolutely
competitive integrated in the school district,” said Dr. joyful experience, the
employment for Freeman in her Tiffany Hardrick, Superintendent holistic human growth, and
home community. Forrest City of the Forrest City School development I witnessed on
School District hired her to work District. her job were so pronounced,
in their pre-school program in From teaching shapes it seemed unshakeable. She
August of 2017. and colors to fixing lunches to always presented herself as
“I love my job,” Freeman wiping tears, Charnette loves kind, graceful, mild-mannered
said. “I always knew what I all aspects of her job, and her young lady but achieving
wanted to do; I wanted to work enthusiasm is evident to anyone employment seems to have had
with kids.” who sees her. a tremendous impact on her as
Freeman who is a 2010 “I had the benefit of serving a person.”
graduate of Forrest City High on the interview team that Freeman has just signed her
School loves being able to interviewed Ms. Freeman contract for her second year
work with children in her home and observed her during the at the school and is looking
community, a fact not lost on nine-month Project SEARCH forward to continuing to grow
®
the school district. “Programs training and witnessed her and learn and give back.
like Project SEARCH are growth during those times,”
®


6

New Project SEARCH Programs Open in Fort Smith and Pine Bluff
®
roject SEARCH Arkansas
®
opened new programs at the
PUniversity of Arkansas Pine Bluff
and Mercy Hospital in Fort Smith.
Project SEARCH Arkansas held
®
a kick-off event at each new site to
celebrate.
Project SEARCH Arkansas: The University of Pine Bluff celebrates the kick-off of the Project Search Program on its
®
ACCESS Initiative is an innovative campus with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
job-training program providing a nine-
month internship program for young
adults, with developmental disabilities.
Interns in the program complete (3)
ten-week rotations at a partnering
business with the goal of gaining the
necessary skills to obtain competitive
employment. Upon completion of the
program, staff assists with finding work
within the community and continued
support during employment. The Mercy Hospital in Fort Smith celebrates the addition of the Project Search
Program on its campus with a kick-off ceremony.
®





Arkansas Is One Of The Top States In Getting Individuals With Disabilities To Work

t the recent Fall
Conference of the
ACouncil of State
Administrators of Vocational
Rehabilitation(CSAVR),
the Rehabilitation Services
Administration provided
information that shows
Arkansas as being one of the
top states in the country when
it comes to helping individuals
with disabilities go to work.
During 2017, the
employment rate for individuals “We are very proud to be to prepare Arkansans with
receiving services from one of the top states in the disabilities to work and lead
Vocational Rehabilitation country to help put individuals productive and independent
agencies had a national with disabilities to work,” lives, and it’s wonderful to
average of 47.8%, whereas said Arkansas Rehabilitation see the hard work of all of our
Arkansas has an average of Services Commissioner Alan employees recognized on the
over 60%. McClain. “Our mission is national level.”




7

Students Compete for a Trip to Washington D.C.

During JAG State Student Leadership Academy



eventy-three JAG program The students that placed in the top Public Speaking Skills
students competed during three of each category are:
rd
Sthe State Student Leadership 3 Place- Trevor Hayes of Robinson
Academy for the opportunity to Math Skills High School
represent Arkansas at the National 3 Place- Alyssa Miller of Robinson 2 Place- Pashur'ar Grissom of Pine
rd
nd
Student Leadership Academy in High School Bluff High School
Washington D.C.
st
nd
The State Student Leadership 2 Place- Tristen Grogan of Parkview 1 Place- Tiana Huff of Benton High
Academy was held at the UA-Little High School School (Arch Ford HUB)
Rock campus. The students in 1 Place- Drew Langford of Bald Knob Project Based Learning
st
attendance represented 23 Jobs for High School
Arkansas Graduates (JAG) programs 3 Place- Kaitlyn Nicholson of Star
rd
and 15 school districts. Employability Skills City High School
Each student competed in four
rd
nd
career-development categories: Public 3 Place (Tie)- Riyah Harris of 2 Place- Breana Hicks, Victoria
Speaking, Math Skills, Employability Parkview High School Clendening, Kenya Smith of Robinson
Skills, and Project-Based Learning 3 Place (Tie)- Talyn Day of High School
rd
Showcase. A total of 17 students Springdale High School 1 Place- Kameryn Baker, Aumri
st
placed in the top three for each Duncan, Jose Santos of Parkview
nd
category, which qualified them 2 Place- Sydney Moore of High School
to represent Arkansas during the Springdale High School
National Student Leadership Academy 1 Place- Rodolfo Garcia of Star City
st
in Washington D.C. High School





JAG Recognizes Staff Member with National Network Leadership Award

obs for America's Graduates
(JAG) awarded Associate
JDirector for Career and Technical
Education – Special Projects with
the National Network Leadership
Award for her outstanding leadership
in supporting Jobs for Arkansas
Graduates and Career and Technical
Education.
Sonja Wright-McMurray was
honored for her efforts to network
agencies and programs to increase
the capacity and expand diversity
in the Jobs for Arkansas Graduates
program. Charisse Childers, Ph.D., Director of the Department of Career Education; Sonja
Wright-McMurray was awarded Wright-McMurray, Associate Director for Career and Technical Education – Special
at the National Leadership Awards Projects; and Shannon Buckner, JAG Program Coordinator celebrate Wright-McMurray's
achievement as she was recognized nationally for her leadership in Career and Technical
Reception in Washington D.C. Education.


8

Student-Led Team Placed First in Nation at

JAG National Student Leadership Academy



he student-led team from
Parkview High School
Tplaced first in the nation
in the Project-Based Learning
Showcase Competition
during the Jobs for Americas
Graduates (JAG) National
Student Leadership Academy in
Washington D.C.
Parkview High School seniors
Kaymeryn Baker, Aumri Duncan,
and Jose Santos were awarded
first place for their community
service project they developed
and implemented through the
Parkview JAG Program. These
students presented their plan,
implementation, and results to
the judges in the Project-Based Mary Perkins-Jacobs, State Competition Chairperson; Kameryn Baker, Parkview High
School Senior; Aumri Duncan, Parkview High School Senior; Jose Santos, Parkview High
Learning Showcase Competition. School Senior; and Gladys Godley, Parkview High School JAG Specialist celebrate the
Project-Based Learning is a first place award for the Project-Based Learning Showcase Competition that the student-
teaching methodology that led team won during the JAG National Student Leadership Academy.
combines real-world scenarios
with 21 Century skills to prepare
st
young people for postsecondary
education and the workforce.
Another Parkview High
School senior, Jaylen Lampkin,
was chosen to sing the National
Anthem at the JAG Awards
Luncheon that also took place JAG Arkansas delegates represent
during the JAG National Student the state during the National Student
Leadership Academy. Leadership Academy in Washington D.C.
The JAG National Leadership
Academy took place Nov. 14-
18. Students who placed in
the top three for the category
they competed in during the
JAG State Student Leadership
Academy were able to compete
at the JAG National Leadership Jaylen Lampkin, Parkview High School
Academy. Senior, sings the National Anthem during
the JAG Awards Luncheon.

9

Arkansas Rehabilitation Services Guest Stars on National Podcast


hile attending the
Council of State
WAdministrators of
Vocational Rehabilitation’s Fall
Conference in Long Beach,
California, ARS Commissioner
Alan McClain and ACTI Director
Jonathan Bibb were guests
on the VR Workforce Studio
Podcast with Rick Sizemore.
They were talking about
National Apprenticeship Week,
the Workforce Innovation
Opportunity Act and some of
their favorite success stories.
You can hear the podcast
here: ARS Commissioner Alan McClain and ACTI Director Jonathan Bibb were guest
https://vrworkforcestudio.com/ speakers on the VR Workforce Studio Podcast with Rick Sizemore.
episode-62/.







Arkansas Students’ App Shines at National Conference



hree Arkansas students recently
had their hard work pay off
Twhen the app they designed
was used by the National Career
Academy Coalition Conference in
Houston, Texas.
London Parsons, Riley Clark
and Devon Sherman who are in the
Mobile Application Development
Program at Wynne High School
developed the app which was
approved and published by Apple.
Their teacher, Chris Davis, attended
the conference and said, “There
were schools in attendance from all
over the country, and this was great
publicity for Arkansas. I received
many comments about the app from
people when they saw I was from Students from the Mobile Application Development Program at Wynne High School
Arkansas.” work on designing their app for the National Career Academy Coalition Conference.



10

Career Education and Workforce
Development Board

Hugh McDonald, Chairman, Little
Senior Management Team Rock
Gina Radke, Vice Chairman,
Sherwood
Charisse Childers, Ph.D., Director
Don Bellcock, Internal Auditor Adam Arroyos, Ph.D., Fayetteville
Lorna Claudio, Chief Financial Officer D. Alan McClain, Commissioner Jerry Cash, Ed.D., Harrison
Otis Dixon, Chief Information Officer Joseph Baxter, Deputy Commissioner Scott Copas, Little Rock
Chip McAfee, Director of Communications Jonathan Bibb, Administrator/Associate Michael Garner, Hensley
Kelly Hunt Lyon, Ed.D., Strategic Planning Commissioner, Arkansas Career Training Stacy Gunderman, Batesville
and Development Manager Institute Troy Keeping, Marion
DeCarlia Smith, Human Resources Rodney Chandler, Director of Business Steve Percival, Little Rock
Administrator Engagement Jenifer Price, Springdale
Lisa A. Thompson, Personnel Manager Carl Daughtery, Chief of Field Services/ Jeff Standridge, Ed.D., Conway
Associate Commissioner Keith Vire, Ph.D., Fayetteville
Lynn Franquemont, Director of Burton Weis, Fort Smith
Community Service Programs Ex-Officio Members
Charles Lyford, General Counsel Richard Abernathy, Ed.D.,
James McCune, Chief Financial Officer Executive Director, AR Association
Trenia Miles, Ed.D., Deputy Director Judy Smith, Transition Director of Special of Educational Administrators
Daryl Bassett, Director, AR
Bridget Bullard Criner, Associate Director Projects
Robert Treviño, Associate Commissioner Department of Workforce Services
for Program, Planning Development & Johnny Key, Commissioner, AR
Evaluation Department of Education
Nathan Winter, Associate Commissioner Maria Markham, Ph.D., Director,
for Access & Accommodations AR Department of Higher Education
Mike Preston, Director,
Angela Kremers, Ed.D., Deputy Director AR Economic Development
Cheryl Wiedmaier, Ph.D., Associate Commission
Director Bill Stovall, Executive Director, AR
Sonja Wright-McMurray, Associate Cody Waits, Deputy Director Community Colleges
Director for Special Programs Stephanie Isaacs, Associate Director




ADULT EDUCATION Lonoke Small Business Program
501-683-2341 501-676-4490 501-683-3582
GED ® Monticello Stay At Work/ Return To Work
501-682-1980 870-367-9669 501-683-6052
ARKANSAS REHABILITATION North Little Rock Services for the
SERVICES 501-833-1490 Deaf & Hard of Hearing (SDHH)
Arkansas Career Training Institute Pine Bluff 501-686-2800
501-624-4411 870-534-2404 TAP (Telecommunications Access
Field Services Offices Russellville Program)
Batesville 479-890-5751 800-981-4463
870-793-4153 Searcy Transition Services
Benton 501-268-4542 501-682-5634
501-317-1390 Texarkana CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION
Booneville 870-773-2807 501-682-1040
479-675-3835 West Memphis Occupational Programs
Conway 870-735-4725 Agricultural Science and Technology
501-730-9725 Alternative Finance Program 501-682-2561
El Dorado 501-296-1663 Business/Marketing Technology
870-862-5451 Arkansas Governor's Commission on 501-682-1768
Fayetteville People with Disabilities Family & Consumer Sciences Education
479-582-1286 501-682-5317 501-682-1115
Fort Smith Arkansas Kidney Disease Commission Office of School Improvement
479-755-3300 (AKDC) 501-682-1616
Harrison 501-686-2807 Skilled and Technical Sciences
870-741-7153 Assistive Technology at Work (AT@ 501-682-1271
Helena Work) State Approving Agency for Veterans
870-338-2753 501-683-3009 Training and Education
Hot Springs Business Engagement 501-324-9473
501-623-4479 501-296-1659 OFFICE OF SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
Jonesboro Increasing Capabilities Access 501-683-1152
870-972-0025 Network (ICAN) Apprenticeship
Little Rock 501-666-8868 501-682-1360
501-686-2800

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