Union County
Excel by Eight in Union County
Union County’s strong reputation for philanthropy is seen in the Excel by Eight steering committee led by the SHARE Foundation and the United Way of Union County. A true spirit of collaboration has brought key groups serving families together to identify gaps and improve connections on their local resource grid. The Union County steering committee, launched in March 2021, is focused on identifying key stakeholders, reviewing relevant data and gaining public input on setting goals and priorities for Excel by Eight.
One data point included in the review is the Early Development Instrument (EDI), which was completed by all school districts in 2020. The EDI is a population measure of how young children are developing based on the five domains of early childhood development: physical health and wellbeing; social competence; emotional maturity; language and cognitive skills; and communication skills and general knowledge. Kindergarten teachers in each school district completed the assessment for their students.
Snapshot
Located on southern state border
Major industries include oil and gas and chemicals
Home to Murphy Arts District, an arts and entertainment district in downtown El Dorado
Largest county in Arkansas, in terms of square miles
Steering Committee
Alexis Alexander, United Way of Union County
Gloria Billings, Department of Human Services/Division of Children and Family Services
Pam Blake, FACT, Inc.
Wanda Corney, Parents as Teachers
Becky Dixon, Smackover-Norphlet School District
Karen Hicks, The Call Support Center
Heidi Klappenbach, Family Connects
Robin Krneta, South Arkansas Children’s Coalition
Ellen Lowe, Junction City School District
Kathy Love, Hannah Pregnancy Resource Center
Debbie McAdams, El Dorado School District
Emily O’Neal, Arkansas Children’s
Kaitlyn Rigdon, El Dorado-Union County Chamber of Commerce
Carl Sivils, Jr., Southern Bancorp
Martha Garrett-Shaver, Family Medicine
Tequila Smith, FACT, Inc.
Carla Sparks, Arkansas Children’s
Kimberly Thomas, Strong-Huttig School District
Debbie Watts, SHARE Foundation
Rev. Larry Yarbrough, Sr., CIRCLE Initiative Foundation
Shaneil “PJ” Yarbrough, University of Arkansas, College of Education – Early Care and Education Projects
Read more about E8 Communities
Excel by Eight seeks Communities Manager
Excel by Eight (E8) is a statewide initiative that has been developed in partnership with Arkansas Community Foundation and the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation and in collaboration with over 20 statewide entities. Our vision is a state where all children have a strong...
Independence County hosts Excel by Eight fall 2022 Learning Community
For the first time, Excel by Eight hosted its semiannual Learning Community outside of Arkansas’s capital city, bringing more than 30 community leaders to Independence County in mid-October for local site visits and informative sessions. The two-day event took place in the cities of Batesville and Southside and focused on early care and education for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.
Jill Wilson, executive director of two child care centers in Mountain Home, and Garrett Dolan, senior manager of corporate social responsibility at Tyson Foods, served on a panel moderated by Roby Brock, editor-in-chief and host of Talk Business and Politics. The panelists discussed the challenges facing employers and child care providers in Arkansas, including quality of care, workforce, and affordability.
Building a Bridge to Kindergarten Readiness Through Parks and Public Spaces
A subcommittee based in the town of Horatio, Arkansas, in Sevier County has worked to raise funds to improve area parks and recreation spaces – as well as local businesses – with a focus on early childhood development.