Organization shines 'Bright' at event

n Bright Futures USA held its fourth annual confernece last week at JBU.

Janelle Jessen/Siloam Sunday A group of Siloam Springs School District supporters attended the Bright Futures USA Evening of Champions award banquet on Thursday. Pictured are Kristi Wiggins, federal programs coordinator; Peter Davis, fifth-grade teacher; Grace Davis, director of teacher quality and community relations; Jason Jones, high school principal; Sarah Jones, Bright Futures Siloam Springs director; Brian Hyde, school volunteer; Chuck Hyde, school board member and CEO of the Soderquist Center; and Jason Jones, district child nutrition director.
Janelle Jessen/Siloam Sunday A group of Siloam Springs School District supporters attended the Bright Futures USA Evening of Champions award banquet on Thursday. Pictured are Kristi Wiggins, federal programs coordinator; Peter Davis, fifth-grade teacher; Grace Davis, director of teacher quality and community relations; Jason Jones, high school principal; Sarah Jones, Bright Futures Siloam Springs director; Brian Hyde, school volunteer; Chuck Hyde, school board member and CEO of the Soderquist Center; and Jason Jones, district child nutrition director.

Bright Futures USA held its fourth annual national conference on the John Brown University campus last week. Both the Siloam Springs and Lincoln school districts received recognition during the organization's awards banquet on Thursday night.

Bright Futures USA is a national nonprofit dedicated to inspiring community partnerships that open a way for all children to learn, lead and serve, according to a press release from the organization.

More than 560 people attended the three-day conference, held on Wednesday through Friday, March 1-3, and another 250 attended the "Evening of Champions" awards banquet on Thursday evening, according to Kim Vann, executive director for the national organization.

Bright Futures Siloam Springs, which is less than a year old, was recognized as one of three finalists for the Bright Futures Spotlight award during the banquet. The award acknowledges communities that utilize high-quality communication and marketing strategies with the Bright Futures brand to shine the spotlight on the mission of Bright Futures. The final award went to Clinton, Mo.

Bright Futures Lincoln also received recognition during the banquet. Courtney Cox of Lincoln tied with Eva Moore of Pleasant Hill, Mo., for the Community Champion award. Lincoln was also a finalist for the Affiliate of the Year award, which ultimately went to Harrisonville, Mo.

Bright Futures USA partnered with the Soderquist Center for Leadership Ethics to bring the conference to John Brown University. The national conference was moved to Siloam Springs this year to give it room to expand and grow, Vann said.

Vann said her organization, which is based in Joplin, Mo., has 52 affiliates from Alaska to Virginia that serve more than 250,000 children. Northwest Arkansas is one of the fastest growing areas with a total of 12 Bright Futures communities, and additional communities inquiring, she said.

Bright Futures communities support school staff and facilitate relationships between schools and resources in the community, Vann said. Bright Futures USA provides the framework for the program, but each community tailors it to their specific needs, she said.

"Out of 52 communities, no two look alike," she said.

Bright Futures emphasizes giving time, talent and treasure, Vann said. She gave the example of two elderly and disabled ladies who lived in a high-poverty school district, where children were in need of warm winter clothing. While the two women weren't able to write a check to buy all the students coats, they did have the ability to knit and crochet scarves, hats and gloves for all 250 children in the school.

"All it took was time and talent," Vann said.

Highlights of the three-day national Bright Futures conference included seminars by experts Ruby Payne, Ashley Rhodes-Courter and C.J. Huff.

Vann said that Bright Futures Siloam Springs has an amazing amount of community support. The local organization has done an incredible number of things to take care of children since it was established less than a year ago.

"It warms my heart," she said.

Vann said that local leadership makes it look effortless from the outside, calling administrator Grace Davis and director Sarah Jones "rock stars."

"I'm grateful the community of Siloam Springs has opened their arms to welcome our organization," she said.

Davis and Jones gave presentations for breakout sessions at the conference.

"It was affirming and inspiring to be a part of the Bright Futures national conference and hear about how other communities across the country are also surrounding their children by partnering with schools to meet needs," said Davis. "We are part of a connected focused national team removing barriers to learning. SSSD Bright Futures has an active, responsive Advisory Board-we are doing the work together."

The 13-member advisory board includes community and business leaders, and clergy members, Davis said. Members are Gary Wheat, Chuck Hyde, Beth Graves, Renea Ellis, Marla Sappington, Mary Benjamin, Joanna Carter, Linda Gregory, Erica Olguin-Colon, Sasha Jackson, Salvador Marquez-Munoz, Curtis Cunningham and Jennifer Marksberry.

The school board gave permission for the Siloam Springs School District to join Bright Futures USA in January of 2016, and the local organization was debuted to the public at a kick-off breakfast last May. The nonprofit supports students' basic physical and social needs so they can focus on learning.

More information about Bright Futures Siloam Springs is available on the organization's Facebook page. More information about the national organization is available at www.brightfuturesusa.org.

General News on 03/05/2017