Jefferson County
Excel by Eight in Jefferson County
Jefferson County, E8’s newest member community, is led by Cathi Swan at the Arkansas River Education Service Cooperative. The steering committee has been formalized and includes representatives from K-12 education, health, home visiting, business, philanthropy, and higher education.
In 2023, the local steering committee will launch the research phase of the E8 process, gathering community input on priority areas by hosting data walk events and talking with parents, educators, service providers, and other stakeholders who work on behalf of families with children ages 0-8.
Data walks are gallery-style presentations of statistics related to boxes on the E8 resource grid. Excel by Eight presents initial data to participants and asks them to react. This helps us better understand where children are excelling and where we may need to shore up local resources.
Snapshot
East-central Arkansas, bisected by the Arkansas River
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and Southeast Arkansas College
Leading producer of cotton, soybeans, rice, poultry, and timber
Trade, entertainment, recreation, and health care center for Southeast Arkansas
Steering Committee
Chair
Cathi Swan, Chair, Arkansas River Education Service Cooperative
Committee Members
Peter Austin, Jefferson Regional Medical Center
Jennifer Barbaree, Pine Bluff School District
Dr. Steven Bloomberg, Southeast Arkansas College
Dr. Kimberly Davis, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
Jason Duren, United Way of Southeast Arkansas
Sherri James, Southeast Arkansas Behavioral Healthcare System
Angela Lopez, Arkansas Department of Human Services
Dr. Sarper Turker, Arkansas Lighthouse Charter Schools
Chad Pitillo, Simmons Bank
Allison Thompson, Jefferson County Alliance
Dr. Gary Williams, White Hall School District
Tom Wilson, Watson Chapel School District
Read more about E8 Communities
Jefferson County hosts Fall 2023 Learning Community
Representatives from each of Excel by Eight’s six communities came together in Pine Bluff for two days of relationship building, learning, and idea sharing at the Fall 2023 Learning Community. Thank you to the Jefferson County steering committee and the team at the Arkansas River Education Service Cooperative for being such gracious hosts!
How an emphasis on early childhood helped usher in a $25 million investment for the city of Batesville
During an August 2023 special election, residents of Batesville voted overwhelmingly in favor of four ballot issues that marked a turning point for the city. These issues secured a $25 million investment for the expansion and improvement of the city’s parks and recreation facilities as well as an additional $110 million to go toward the construction of a new water treatment system. Opportunities to reshape a city’s infrastructure and enrich its social and recreational offerings without a tax increase seldom arise. But when they do, seizing these moments requires more than a stroke of luck; it demands collaboration, a willingness to learn, and data-informed planning.
Horatio School District, public libraries partnering to provide free summer meals to children in southwest Arkansas
Excel by Eight’s Sevier County Steering Committee and the Horatio School District are partnering with No Kid Hungry to offer free summer meals to children under the age of 18.