Area Arkansas Scholars Recognized at Banquet

The annual Osceola/South Mississippi County Chamber of Commerce banquet for area Arkansas Scholars was held on Tuesday, April 30, 2013, at 6:30 pm at the Ohlendorf Civic Center.   The event honored this year's recipients with recognition and a certificate of achievement in the presence of their parents and guardians, superintendents, principals, and guidance counselors.  

The Chamber is proud to announce the Arkansas Scholars for 2013 from Osceola and Rivercrest High Schools are:

Osceola High School: Quaylon Estell, Jessica Foster, Charity James, Arnelle Jones, Ashton McFarland, Haven Prince, Swandaysha Pugh, Rashad Roberts, Kaci Scales, Chanse Smithey, and Savannah Wilson.

Rivercrest High School: Demarya Barner, Micalah Beall, Madison Bell, Rodney Boone, Taylor Brooks, Brooke Colbert, Evan Delancey, Nick Mallard, Dalton Murphy, Peyton Parish, Phillip Porter, Ainsley Reece, Taylor Rogers, Laura Ryals, Karissa Sparks, and Brittany Stewart.

High school students are asked to meet the following criteria in order to be recognized as Arkansas Scholars: 1). Earn semester grades of "C" or above in all courses; 2) Achieve a 95% or better attendance record (average over four years); 3) Complete the recommended courses to graduate from high school and to prepare for post secondary education; 4) Finish high school in eight consecutive semesters; 5) complete eight hours of community service; and 6) Have no major disciplinary actions on your transcript.   

Both schools will designate the Arkansas Scholar recipients on their respective graduation programs. Employers in the state and colleges that request transcripts will also see a special decal, letting them know that the student met these higher requirements to be designated as an Arkansas Scholar. In addition to these distinctions, several higher education institutions in Arkansas have announced scholarships for Arkansas Scholars graduates.

This annual recognition event, sponsored by the Osceola/South Mississippi County Chamber of Commerce, was started as a two-year program during the 1996-1997 school year and the first banquet was held May 6, 1999. The program has now extended to a four-year program, following students from their freshman through senior years of high school. Event organizer and Chamber board member Shawn Chafin thanks everyone that works to keep this program going strong, as the students work very hard to meet the requirements for this distinction.

The Arkansas Scholars program is proudly sponsored by the Arkansas Business & Education Alliance and the Osceola/South Mississippi County Chamber of Commerce. For more information about the program, visit www.arkansasscholars.org.