Poinsett County

Snapshot

  • Located in the northeast corner of Arkansas
  • Crowley’s Ridge, a geological formation, runs north and south through the county
  • Poinsett County is of the highest producers of rice in the nation and has the most acreage devoted to rice production than any other county in Arkansas
The Poinsett County Courthouse in Harrisburg, Arkansas, with a distinctive clock tower and columns, framed by tall trees on a bright summer day.

Steering Committee

Coming soon

John Gibson, Chair, Conway County Community Foundation

Amber Holland, Community Service, Inc.

Princess Johnson, Parent

Kara Jones, Conway County Center for Exceptional Children

Dr. Susan Okroglic, Community Service, Inc.

Committee Members

Robbie Belew, Curricula Concepts

Shandee Gordon, Wonderview School District

Shawn Halbrook, South Conway County School District

Lora Hendrix, South Conway County School District

Sarah Hoffman, Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY)

Aida Kuettle, South Conway County School District

Christy Lemmer, Turquoise Squirrel Learning Center

Stephanie Lipsmeyer, Morrilton Area Chamber of Commerce

Kaila Parker, Parent

Bijoux Pighee, Choosing to Excel

Jenifer Riley, Community Service, Inc.

Jamie Stacks, Wonderview School District

Karey Tapley, South Conway County School District

Tammy Westerman, HIPPY

Candace Williams, Rural Community Alliance

Logan Williams, Nemo Vista School District

Sharon Wilson, South Conway County School District

Excel by Eight in Poinsett County

Poinsett County and Excel by Eight began working together in 2023 to create a local, innovative, and scalable model for transforming health and education for children. In order to set goals, we will gather community input and collectively decide on priority areas of impact.

Hosting data walks with parents of young children and other community members is one way steering committees get community input that is inclusive, measurable, and actionable. Having an agreed-upon goal or set of goals is the milestone that will launch the committee into strategy planning for strengthening outcomes and closing gaps for Poinsett County’s youngest residents.

E8 Team Contact

Outdoor headshot of Tori Scott, smiling in front of trees, serving as the contact for Excel by Eight Communities.

Tori Scott

Communities Director

Our Community Goals:

Coming soon

Icon of a laptop with a smartphone overlapping its screen, symbolizing digital access and family engagement through technology.

Goal #1: Family Engagement

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Icon of a red apple placed on top of stacked books, symbolizing literacy and education.

Goal #2: Literacy

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Icon of a human head with a plus sign inside, representing positive mental health and wellbeing.

Goal #3: Positive Mental Health

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More stories from Poinsett County

Coming soon

Excel by Eight is dedicated to supporting families and children across Arkansas, including right here in Poinsett County. Learn more about these efforts by exploring articles or joining the county committee.