Community Achievement Strengthens Arkansas

I recently spent a day touring Waldron in western Arkansas. The town, located in Scott County, is home to 3,500 people, and is similar to many other small towns around the State. Many of its citizens work in timber, food processing, and livestock and poultry production. But what impresses me about Waldron is the willingness its people have shown in recent years to work and sacrifice together to make their town a better place. They are taking steps to improve their hometown today, and prepare their children for success tomorrow. It is this kind of unified community determination that will give Arkansas an advantage in the coming years.

I was there to celebrate new opportunities that have shaped Waldron in the past few years. Waldron High School was recently named an Advanced Placement Strategies Grant School, which means its 534 students will have more encouragement and incentive to enroll in rigorous coursework in AP math, science, and English. This will better prepare them to succeed in higher education and improve their chances for rewarding careers after that. Their teachers will be specially trained in teaching these advanced subjects, and the higher bar of success for students will strengthen our knowledge-based workforce and expand our foundation for economic development in Arkansas. Waldron High School students will be rewarded with $100 for every year-end AP exam that they pass. It's a remarkable responsibility that Waldron High School has taken on, but from what I saw when I met its students and teachers, I know they will continue their record of success. This program has produced similar results in other parts of Arkansas, and I hope it inspires other schools across the State to improve their course offerings, too.

Later on that same day, I visited the Scott County Courthouse. I toured the new, state-of-the-art jail, a facility with a level of quality you don't expect to find in a small town. In order to fund this much-needed new jail, Scott County residents approved a 5/8-cent sales tax on themselves in 2006, then last year, added a ½-cent sales tax for ongoing maintenance. The citizens of Scott County recognized that pitching in together toward a common goal would result in both improving public safety, and potentially generating new revenue as surrounding counties seek open jail beds.

The local commitment and motivation I witnessed in Waldron are evidence of an idea I've discussed across the State since our statewide Arkansas Works Summit last year.

That idea is for each county to evaluate its strengths and weaknesses, and then, by working together, discern the best strategies for building a stronger economic future. The guiding principle behind this effort continues to be the irrefutable connection between education and economic development.

Waldron and Scott County are only one example of Arkansas communities taking those steps throughout the State. Dedicated local leadership and a strong, unified citizen base will increase local assets and expand our economy. All of our communities, large and small, must become their own advocates. I hope to see similar successes throughout Arkansas as more of our communities become united in their desire to make good things happen together.