By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
A Forrest City math teacher who established a before-school tutoring program at her school has been named the 2005 Arkansas Teacher of the Year.
Pam England, who teaches at Forrest City Junior High, received the honor.
A 1982 graduate of Wister High School in Wister, Okla., England is a graduate of Southeastern Oklahoma State University, and performed graduate work at Northeastern Oklahoma State. She is now in her 19th year of teaching, having taught at Cameron and Howe in Oklahoma, and in Quinlan, Texas before coming to Forrest City. This school year will complete her second year in Forrest City and her 19th year of teaching.
She received $15,000 along with the honor.
She and her husband, Jacky, both teach at the junior high. He is a science teacher.
This morning, she said she has always loved math.
"I like to be able to see the accomplishment, so with math you can see it work out," England said. "That's why I like it."
She was recommended by her principal, Billy Ferguson, who offered praise for England.
"She does not accept mediocre work from her children," Ferguson said. "She comes in before and comes in on her off time. The students know she likes them, and they respond."
She is also head girls softball coach and assistant girls varsity basketball coach for the high school.
After being nominated, the teachers were whittled down to 16 regional winners, and then four finalists.
"Then they came and watched me teach, spoke to students and interviewed me, and spoke to Mr. Ferguson," she said.
As a woman teaching math, England said the old stereotype of "girls can't do math," is finally being put in its place.
"You know, I don't think that's as much of a trend as it used to be," she said. "I know when I first started teaching math, most of the time it was the boys who were interested in it. But I've seen more and more girls involved in math -- maybe not in the math fields, but that's going to come because there are more and more girls taking math and excelling and realizing they can do it. And maybe me being a woman teacher does help with that."
When asked why she teaches, she says it's the "same old story," but if it is, it's a story that can bear retelling.
"I love to teach, I wouldn't do anything else," she begins. "When I was in school, and this is going to be the same old story, I had a teacher who really turned me around. Actually, it was several teachers. You get so much satisfaction out of knowing you can help someone the same way that someone else helped you."
She takes no special credit for that.
"Most teachers are that way," she insisted. "All teachers are not in it for the pay. They are in it because they want to make a difference -- in everybody's lives, not just that one student.
"It makes a difference in the entire community, because the people who graduate from these schools are going to be living in this community and influencing everything around it. So, you get to make a big difference in the community's life, in my children's lives, in my grandchildren's lives. And I can't think of many professions that will do that. You touch so many people every year, every day."
England will now represent Arkansas in the national competition.
By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
For the fifth year, the Community Bell Tree project is attempting to bring some Christmas joy into the lives of needy children in the Palestine area. Nellie Higgins, chairperson of the Christmas Bell Committee which organizes the project each year, said that help is still needed.
"It is just a matter of people knowing about the program, getting the word out," said Higgins. "People around here are really good about participating in it each year. I just spoke to a woman who goes to my church and she told me that she needed to stop by the bank (the First National Bank Branch of Palestine where the tree is housed) and get her bell. Some people come and get two bells, one boy and one girl. This is a way for people to help those in need.
"We get the names of the children who might be in need from teachers at Palestine-Wheatley Elementary School," Higgins continued. "The teachers see the children every day and they have a better idea about who might be in need. This year we have had 22 names turned into us, and our goal is to have gifts for each of these children by (Wednesday) Dec. 15." Higgins also asked that all gifts be wrapped and that the bell for the child be attached to the gift to identify it.
According to Higgins, each bell contains information about the child, what sex he or she is, clothing sizes, shoe size and one toy they would like to have for Christmas. Names are not given of the child, child's family or the person making the donation.
"I enjoy doing this each year, and I feel that there is a real need for this program," said Higgins. "I'm getting older, and I hope that when I can't do this anymore, someone will take over. I feel that we should do this each year as long as we have a need in our community.
"I would like to thank those who participate in the program each year and the First National Bank Branch of Palestine. We have the tree at the bank each year and they have been great to us. This year they even used the tree they decorate for the bank as the tree. We really appreciate everyone's support."
Gifts are due back at the bank by Wednesday, Dec. 15, by 12 noon. Families which are receiving gifts will need to pick them up at the bank on Thursday, Dec. 16, before 3 p.m.
If you would like to help, or want more information about the annual Community Bell Tree, contact Nellie Higgins at 870-581-2500.
An 18-wheeler loaded with new computers was stolen from a truckstop Tuesday in Heth.
William V. Elkins, 54, of Las Cruces, New Mexico, reported to the St. Francis County Sheriff's Department Tuesday afternoon that he had stopped to eat at the Truckstops of America, and when he returned to where he had parked his truck, he found it missing.
Elkins told deputies the trailer was loaded with 48 pallets of Hewlett Packard computers he had picked up earlier in the day from the Hewlett Packard Corporation in Memphis. The load was valued at $500,000.
According to the police report, the truck was equipped with a Global Positioning System (GPS), which Elkins said he believed had been disabled; however, another GPS system was built into the front of the trailer which allowed trucking company officials to trace the truck to Phillips County.
After contacting the Phillips County Sheriff's Department, deputies there located the truck at the Y-Camp Truckstop in West Helena.
SFC deputies transported Elkins to the truck where they were able to lift several fingerprints. According to Elkins, only the bill of lading for the load appeared to be missing, and the shipment of computers was still intact.
The investigation is continuing.
The board of the Forrest City Area Chamber of Commerce this morning unanimously endorsed the building of a multi-purpose center at the Forrest City Municipal Sports Complex.
The sometimes-controversial facility received a setback of sorts Tuesday, when it was learned that the lowest bid was still around $420,000 higher than the money appropriated for it.
A meeting to discuss the budget and the multi-purpose building has been set for Tuesday, Dec. 14, at 6 p.m. Mayor Larry Bryant said he hopes things go smoothly.
"What they're going to do more than likely, is reintroduce it and vote on it in two different ways -- to award the contract and to transfer the $400,000-plus thousand dollars to make up the deficit," Bryant said.
"Tuesday night we're going to clean up all the details," he continued.
"It's always good to be sure, before you move forward on a large project, and (City Attorney) Alan (Cline) is getting all that legal information together. You want to do things in a proper and orderly manner, so we will hopefully get a good clean vote and have a unanimous or at least a two-thirds vote rather than a 5-3."
However, Bryant said that after discussing the matter with the Municipal League, he believes a simple majority will be sufficient.
The November term of circuit court in St. Francis County has ended. During the term, several people were sentenced to the Arkansas Department of Corrections, and close to $40,000 in fines were levied by Circuit Judge Harvey Yates.
According to a criminal term report from Circuit Clerk Bettye Green's office, 153 cases were disposed of by Yates during the term which began on Nov. 22 and ended Dec. 3. Of those cases, 16 felons were sentenced to time in the ADC with Dewey Emmerson Jr., 37, of Forrest City, receiving the stiffest sentence handed down during the term. Emmerson was sentenced to two 10-year sentences, which will run concurrently, on drug and theft charges.
Yates also sentenced a habitual DWI offender, Larry French, 63, of Moro, to six years in the ADC. French pled guilty to his fourth offense of driving while intoxicated.
A total of $39,625 in fines were ordered by Yates during the term along with $60,542 in restitution. The restitution figure was boosted by $50,000 in restitution Yates ordered former Arkansas State Police Troop D Corporal Howard Smith to repay Special Olympics after he plead guilty to a reduced charge surrounding money he stole from the group.
In other circuit court proceedings, 53 cases were given suspended imposition of sentences or probation and another 37 charges were nolle prosequi.