Learn | ConwayArkansas.org
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Conway: The Education Capital of Arkansas Conway has long been noted as a place that offers excellent educational opportunities. Since its incorporation in the 1870s, the city has made education a priority, investing time and money to pursue academic excellence. Its top-notch public and private K-12 school districts have been touted as one of the reasons many newcomers decide to call the city home. Conway is the proud home of three institutions of higher learning, earning it the distinction as the “City of Colleges.” Hendrix College, the University of Central Arkansas, and Central Baptist College consistently produce graduates who stay in the area and enter the workforce. This is part of the reason Conway surpasses the state and national averages when it comes to the educational attainment rate, with more than one-third of its adults holding a bachelor’s degree. With so much emphasis on education, it comes as no surprise that Conway is also home to Arkansas Educational Television Network. AETN operates a statewide television network designed to provide lifelong learning opportunities. It is one of 175 Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) member stations licensed by the Federal Communications Commission. The station broadcasts programs for use in Arkansas classrooms as well as programs for the general audience.
A Foundation for Excellence For 100 years, Conway has been known as the “City of Colleges.” More recently, it has been recognized for its high-achieving school district. Now a new organization is seeking another label for Conway – a destination for early childhood education. “We want informed parents, well-trained educators, and prepared children,” said Jamie Gates, senior vice president of the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce. “To be successful in early childhood education, it takes an effort on all three fronts. There was a clear need for someone to step in and lead on this critical issue.” That need drove the creation of Lifelong Learners Inc., a new nonprofit focused on pre-K education. Lifelong Learners Inc. traces its origins back to the Conway2025 master plan developed in 2010. Shortly thereafter, the chamber partnered with area educators to create an independent organization focused on early childhood education. The chamber contributed
As you can see, education is the heart of Conway. The successes of its preschool programs, public and private school systems, and colleges and university make it easy to see why Conway has earned a reputation for excellent educational opportunities.
$50,000 in Toad Suck Daze festival proceeds to the effort. Lifelong Learners began working with four child care providers as pilot sites in the fall of 2012. Today the organization works with more than a dozen child care providers in Conway. Lifelong Learners assists local preschools and day cares with professional development, installation of highest-quality curriculum, and parent education. Lifelong Learners will also develop and distribute parenting and teaching methods focused on milestone achievement for children from birth to age 5. “There is no population more vulnerable than kids under the age of 5. They are completely dependent and completely impressionable,” said Lifelong Learners Inc. founder Dr. Charlotte Green. “This effort says that as a community, we get it. We’re going to work together to build their educational foundation.” Partners in the launch of the communitywide initiative include the Chamber of Commerce, Lifelong Learners Inc., Conway Public Schools, AETN, and
area child care providers. “Conway has a wealth of resources and an established culture of pursuing educational excellence,” Gates said. “Our goals haven’t changed. We want to create world-class opportunity for our young people and prepare the next generation’s workforce and neighbors.”