SAVVYkids | MAY 2021

PHOTO BY BRIAN CHILSON

News & Notes 58 | Foster Parent 60 | Meet the Parent 63

OPEN HEART, OPEN HOME THE PATH TO BECOMING A FOSTER PARENT

NEWS & NOTES MAY, 2021

Summer camps

There’s so much going on in May, what with Mother’s Day (May 9) and National Frog Jumping Day (May 13), but we’re setting our sights on summer in this News & Notes. The school year — such as it is — will come to an end before we know it, leaving the procrastinators among us scrambling for summer activities. What follows is an incomplete list of day camps and programs. Many are still in the planning stages — with dates and details to be determined. Check social media for updates. (Scholarships are available for many of these camps.)

THE ARTS Arkansas Academy of Dance Camps & Intensives

10301 N. Rodney Parham Road, Little Rock, 501-786-0784 Dates: Summer Intensive: June 7-19 Summer Sessions: July 6-30; Camp II (Studio): Aug. 3-6 Students will explore various dance styles and work with costumes and props, all while building confidence and developing creativity, danceacademyusa.com.

Ballet Arkansas’ Summer Programs

Story Time, Junior Intensive and Summer Intensive camps. Visit balletarkansas.org/education for all the details.

Camp PIG

The Painted Pig 5611 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock, 501-280-0553 Dates: Weekly camps from June-August Rising Grades: 1-8, Cost: $35-$45/session Kids will experiment with different mediums like clay, glass fusion and tie-dye to make cool, keepsake-quality projects. Pandemic protocols will be in place, with temp checks and smaller class sizes, paintedpigstudio.com.

Ballet Arkansas’s “Live at the Plaza” — Held the first and third weekends of May 2021, this two-weekend educational and performance program at Argenta Plaza in NLR includes live performances of classical and contemporary dance by worldrenowned choreographers. Recreational classes, sponsored

by ACANSA, will be accessible for all ages and abilities.

Reservations are not required. Arkansas Department of Health guidelines will be enforced for a safe learning and viewing experience. Attendees will be asked to practice social distancing and wear masks when closer than 6 feet. Dancers will be masked and will maintain appropriate distance from audience members.

For ages 4 and up, balletarkansas.org/plaza.

SPORTS First Tee Youth Summer Golf Camp

1 First Tee Way, Little Rock, a.pfeiffer@thefirstteear.org Middle school: June 8-11; 15-18; 22-25; June 29-July 2; July 13-16 High school: July 20-23; 27-30; Aug. 3-6 Ages: 7-17 Cost: Nonmembers, $140; Members, $90.

The camps are open to beginners, intermediate and advanced players, firstteecentralarkansas.org.

Increased Height Gymnastics

Gymnastics Fun Camp and Day Camp 1021 Jessie Road G,H,I, Little Rock, AR 72202, 501-593-1139 Ages: 5-12 girls only 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

There are eight weeks of Gymnastics Fun Camp and eight weeks of Day Camp. Day Camps are different from gymnastics camps — more of an alternative to ordinary daycare, ihgymnastics.com.

Wildwood Academy of Music & the Arts

20919 Denny Road, Little Rock, 501-821-7275 Ages: 6-18 Wildwood is serious about the arts and safety. In that spirit, strict protocols will be in place. There will be sessions with limited registration in the following areas: advanced strings, piano, dance (beginners and intermediate/advanced), beginner musicians and visual arts, wildwoodpark.org.

River City Gymnastics Sports and Educational Summer Camp

5310 S. Shackleford Road, Little Rock, 501-407-8000 Tentative Dates: June 7-Aug. 13 Ages: 5-12 Activities over the 10 weeks include weekly field trips, arts and crafts and games — all with a focus on health and fitness, river-city-gymnastics.com.

ANIMALS Zoofari On-grounds & Virtual Summer Camp

1 Zoo Drive Little Rock, AR 7220, 501-661-7229 Dates: June 7-Aug. 20 | 9:30-11:30 a.m.

Ages: 5-11 “Eco Olympics” and “Conservation Connection” are but two of the in-person camps offered by the zoo throughout the summer. There are also programs for 12-14-year-olds. Early drop-off and late pick up are available for additional costs. The zoo is also offering Virtual Summer Camps all summer long with live interactive learning. Visit littlerockzoo.com for details.

HISTORY & SCIENCE Old State House Museum Summer Fun Youth Enrichment Program

300 W. Markham St., Little Rock, 501-324-8641 Dates: Call for information. Grades: K-12 Cost: Call for information.

This fun-filled weeklong workshop provides hands-on activities and lessons for history-minded kids. arkansasheritage.com

Museum of Discovery Summer Camps

500 President Clinton Ave., Suite 150, Little Rock, 501-396-7050 Dates: Weekly camps from June 7-Aug. 6 Ages: 6-13 Cost: $300/session Discovery Camps are on! Join MOD for weeklong sessions full of fun and learning that include topics like Pokemon-ology, LEGOville Engineer, Unicorn Biology and CSI: Discovery.

MOD is also offering a FREE Girls in STEM program (six sessions) for ages 12-15! museumofdiscovery.org

NATURE Arkansas Outdoor School Summer Day Camps

1 Four-H Way, Little Rock, 501-821-6884 Dates: Weekly camps from June-August Ages: 7-15 Kids in this learn-by-doing program will get connected with nature in a dynamic, fun atmosphere with more than 220 acres of fields, forests, creeks and a lake. 4h.uaex.edu

SAVVY kids PUBLISHER BROOKE WALLACE | brooke@arktimes.com EDITOR KATHERINE WYRICK | katherinewyrick@arktimes.com SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE LESA THOMAS ART DIRECTOR KATIE HASSELL

OPEN HEART, OPEN HOME

The path to becoming a foster parent

BY KATHERINE WYRICK PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN CHILSON

I

n honor of National Foster Care Month, we talked to foster parents around Central Arkansas about their experiences and soon detected a common thread: All felt that becoming a foster parent was a kind of calling. And though the configuration of each family looked different, they all believed that their lives had been enriched by opening up their homes.

When the pandemic hit, Arkansas, like many states, saw an uptick in its foster care caseload as fewer children’s cases worked their way through the court system. Statistics from the Arkansas Department of Human Services’ Division of Children and Family Services show that the number of children in foster care at the end of 2020 grew to 4,663.

Children are placed in foster care for a variety of reasons, including neglect and abuse or if a parent is incarcerated or hospitalized and there’s no one to care for the child during a parent’s absence. Placement in foster care is usually temporary, and reunification is always the goal. Most children return home to their families; when they cannot, they find permanence through adoption, guardianship or other means.

There continues to be an urgent need for caring, loving foster families in Arkansas. It’s been proven that children in foster care fare far better in homes with families than in facilities. Here we share two stories about the road to becoming a foster parent: one of a nuclear family with three kids of their own, the other of a single career woman who became a parent in the process.

NEAR EMPTY-NESTERS NEW TO FOSTERING

With two kids out of the house and one in high school, Leigh Edmondson of Benton could have chosen to ease into the next stage of life, one with fewer responsibilities and cares and more time. But that’s not what’s happened, and she couldn’t be happier about it.

“We have three biological children, one of them married and out of the house — he’s in med school at UAMS — a daughter who is a senior in college and a 16-year-old sophomore in high school. We’re sort of your atypical foster family because we’re a little bit older.”

So with an empty nest within reach, what inspired this decision two and a half years ago to open their home to foster children?

Edmondson’s voice was full of emotion as she recalled this seminal moment: “Many years ago, I taught school in Texas when I first got married and had a situation where a kiddo went into foster care. I was 21 at the time and felt very helpless. And so we knew all through our married life that we would one day foster, and I think God just said, ‘I’m tired of you saying no to me. It’s time.’ ” And that’s when she connected with The CALL (Children of Arkansas Loved for a Lifetime), whose mission it is to recruit and educate families to become foster and adoptive families. The nonprofit experienced a setback in its efforts when the pandemic hit but managed to successfully pivot to an online platform. It had formerly relied on in-person informational meetings.

It was at one such event a couple of years ago that Edmondson and her family officially took the plunge: “We just felt that tug once again and said we just can’t turn our back this time.” So the family went to The CALL’s meeting in Saline County. “My husband and my daughter attended with me; they were excited about it. And when we left, my husband said, ‘Sign us up,’ and so we signed up that night.

“The CALL is such a wonderful organization. They work closely with our local church and have been an amazing support for us.

When we get a kiddo, [The CALL’s] first question is, ‘What do you need? What can we do for you? Do you have clothes? Do you have a car seat?’ ” That support enabled the Edmondsons to foster 13 kids over two and a half years. “We’ve had some for a couple of nights; some for a couple of weeks; some for many months; and some for a year and a half. It just depends on what is needed.”

Helpful too is the support of Edmondson’s immediate and extended family. “Our 16-year-old has been around for every one of our kiddos,” she said. And their older children also make it a point to return home to meet each foster child. “I have a very large extended family, and to see the way they have welcomed every kid we’ve taken in ... that’s been so cool. And it’s been so neat to see that love and empathy from my own children. ... It’s just been one of the best experiences ever for our family, one of those things where you say, ‘What took so long?’ ”

The Edmondson family just completed another certification process in January — recertification is required each year — indicating they have no plans of closing their doors anytime soon. Leigh Edmonson feels passionate about spreading the word to others that fostering kids in need can be a great experience, and that there’s so much support available to make it as easy as possible for all involved.

“There’s so many kiddos who’ve had trauma in their lives through no fault of their own, and they just need somewhere safe,” she said. “I wish more families could see the impact they could make.”

A CAREER-MINDED SINGLE MOM’S ‘FOSTER FAIL’

We caught up with Brandi Hinkle on a break from her job at Entergy to talk about her path to fostering which, at its outset, took an unexpected (and welcome) turn. Hinkle recalled, “I always thought I would have three or four children of my own. That’s not what happened.

And so I thought, what can I do to effect change in a positive way?

That’s why I decided to start fostering in my mid-30s. I first opened my home as a foster home in 2010 or 11. I had gotten approved right before Christmas, and I was really busy at work when the new year started. So I asked DHS to not call me for a while.” A few weeks passed, then her phone rang on a Friday afternoon. “They said, ‘We’ve got a 3-year-old little girl,’ and I said, ‘OK, bring her to me!’ And they brought her about 5:30. Her name is Emma. She is my very first foster placement, and we were a total ‘foster failure’ because I ended up adopting her!”

“We were meant to be,” added Hinkle, a smile in her voice. “We both joke about it … she’s got curly red hair like me, a little round face. And so people who don’t know assume she’s my natural-born child, and people who do know just remark on how much we look alike.”

The duo seemed meant to be from the beginning,” Hinkle said.

“I’m single. I’ve never been married. And Emma said, ‘Well, you need a roommate, and I need a mom!’ So here we are.”

Though the percentage of kids adopted from foster care in this way (around 13%) is on an upward swing, it isn’t common and can often be problematic. “She’s been with me nine years now; March was our initial anniversary,” Hinkle said. “Our ‘gotcha’ anniversary is in November each year. That’s when I finalized her adoption, but her case was a little complicated; most of them are. The whole process took about two and a half years.”

Check out The Arkansas Heart Gallery, a collection of artful photographs of waiting children and teens, taken by professional photographers from every corner of the state. The photographers donate their time and talents to capture the beautiful faces of kids looking for forever homes. The gallery is a part of Project Zero, an organization that works to pursue out-of-the-box ways to find families for kids in foster care, theprojectzero.org

Great Things Happening at LRSD

Building STRONG SCHOOLS and Even STRONGER COMMUNITIES

OPTIONS TO MEET EVERY NEED

Visit: LRSD.org – Student Registration (K-12) or LRSD.org/earlychildhood (Pre-K) Great THINGS are still happening at LRSD! The Little Rock School District is proud of its 3,500 dedicated professionals who remain committed to meeting the needs of each student, even during a pandemic. From rigorous academic engagement for those identified as gifted and talented to support for those facing learning, speech or physical challenges, LRSD — the state’s second largest district — offers unique, comprehensive educational approaches for pre-K to 12th-grade students.

programs, including pre-AP, AP, classes with local universities and the District’s EXCEL program, provide multiple options for families.

These programs allow students to align their educational experience with their interests, preparing them for college and career and equipping them to meet the challenges of a global society. LRSD consistently places among the top tier of state schools with National Merit Semifinalists, as well as Commended, National Hispanic and AP Scholars.

LRSD takes pride in its highly qualified teachers — nearly half of all classroom teachers have a masters or doctoral degree and 155 have National Board Certification — among the most in the state. LRSD continues to operate the state’s only K-8 STEM campus, eight magnet schools and a uniquely-focused language and literacy elementary academy, and last year, continued to expand Little Rock West High School of Innovation, adding a 10th grade class. Subsequent grades will be added each year for a 9-12 delivery. Little Rock Hall STEAM Academy was also introduced, enhancing its focus on science and engineering academies under the Academies of Central Arkansas (Ford NGL) umbrella. High school college preparatory

LRSD is proud of its highly accomplished students and the community partnerships that enhance their educational experiences. Students will continue taking their learning to the next level at the newly constructed career-focused Little Rock Southwest High School.

Little Rock Central High School

LRSD is also the state’s largest provider of public preschool programs with certified teachers in every class. The District’s pre-K students continue to outperform students who do not use LRSD’s pre-K program in every skill area. The District maintains its mission to provide students with equitable access to educational opportunities, equipping them with what they need to succeed.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School

“People say, ‘I could never foster. I would get too attached.’ Well, that’s what these kids need . . . people to love and support them unconditionally . . .”

After adopting Emma, Hinkle decided to close her home for a while so they could adjust. “We needed some time just for us,” she said.

After taking that time, she has since fostered seven girls, “some of them have just been for a night or two. In fact, I had one this week for one night. The others were for a couple weeks, and they were from out of the county and were trying to find somebody closer to home. The only sibling group I’ve had I had for 21 months ... and I only foster girls. I’m a girl mom, a girly girl.”

Hinkle finds particular joy in fostering preschoolers. “Three-yearolds are my weakness,” she said. “It’s such a fun age. They’re just soaking up everything, they’re curious, and you’re still at that point where you can make a very positive impact,” she said. “You can teach them about familial relationships and what to expect from grownups and that the world can be a safe place.”

After adopting Emma, Hinkle took a job as deputy chief of communications at DHS. There she was privy to a constant stream of information that served as a grim reminder of just how dire things can get for kids. “I was always amazed at the awful things humans will do to others,” Hinkle recalled of her time there. “I still felt such a burden for foster care kids, but I knew that I couldn’t emotionally handle the work I did every day and then being a foster parent as well.

So I started looking for other opportunities within state government.”

She later moved on to the Economic Development Commission.

When she decided to foster again, she contacted The CALL. So impressed was she with the organization that she became one of their certified trainers. This offered a way for her to help children even if she wasn’t taking them into her own home. “I thought, if there comes a point when I can’t foster anymore, at least I can train other families and prepare them to do it.”

Hinkle wants potential foster parents to know this: “People say, ‘I could never foster. I would get too attached.’ Well, that’s what these kids need; they need people to love and support them unconditionally because a lot of them are broken. They come from terrible situations. That’s one reason why the background checks and all the training is so rigorous within DHS, because they need to know that these kids are not going to another broken place. They need to be someplace that has the resources to help them heal. Not all of them have been abused, but many of them have; not all of them have been food insecure, but many of them have.”

She also wants potential foster parents to know that remaining flexible and patient is key. “My home may be the only one that they’ve ever had that has structure and shows them what healthy relationships between a parent and child or siblings looks like and what you can expect from a grown-up ... where there’s someone who cares whether you get up and go to school in the morning, whether your teeth are brushed, whether you get a bath and healthy food.”

Hinkle admitted that it can all be draining; in addition to working full time, being a mom and fostering, she also volunteers for The Centers for Youth and Families and is on the board of Arkansas Repertory Theatre. And, of course, the pandemic proved particularly hard for many foster parents. “This has been an especially tough

CALL IT KISMET — BRANDI HINKLE AND DAUGHTER EMMA FOUND EACH OTHER THROUGH THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM AND BECAME A FOREVER FAMILY.

year because of COVID, but I have a super support system. I have a group of family and friends that comes to my aid when I need it.”

There was little they could do, though, when things first shut down.

For the first five months of the pandemic, Hinkle was at home with three kids — her 12-year-old daughter and two toddlers — and had just started a new job. “I couldn’t get any help because we were trying to isolate. Really, the whole thing is just a blur,” she recalled.

The rewards, however, far outweigh the challenges, she said.

“There are days when I think, ‘Am I doing the right thing — not only for my own child but for this child who is in my home for a season?’

I think good parents question their parenting. We also have to come to the realization that we’re all doing the best we can. I try very, very hard to help kids see the good in their parents even if they’ve been removed for whatever reason. Ninety-nine percent of these parents, they may have made some bad choices, but they still love their kids.”

Many parents find themselves trapped in generational cycles of poverty, food insecurity and addiction. “I have had kids in my care whose parents were in foster care at one time,” Hinkle said. She’s hoping to do her part in breaking that cycle.

Thinking back over the past 10 years, Hinkle reflected, “I still keep in touch with a couple of my former placements. There will be some that I will never hear from again, but they’ll always have a place in my heart, and I’ll always wonder about them and hope the best for them. Being a foster parent is just something that I feel called to do, and it’s just one kid at a time.”

To find out more about fostering, visit humanservices.arkansas.gov or thecallinarkansas.org.

Meet the Parent:

PRISCILLA BAXTER

The Baxter family are busy bees and the bee’s knees and any other bee idiom you may be tempted to apply. They really are! Here we meet Queen Bee Priscilla Baxter and her beautiful brood. This honey-making, hen-loving, homeschooling family are a true inspiration.

Please tell us a little about your family and your business/work life.

We are Jonathan and Priscilla Baxter. We’ve been married 16 years and have three wonderful, adventurous children named Logan (age 11), Bella (age 6) and Ellie (age 5).

Jonathan is a Purple Heart veteran who now works as a private lands biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

I have a double degree in elementary and special education, but chose to begin homeschooling our children back in 2016 when we moved to Arkansas. A year after starting our homeschool journey, we began a small backyard beekeeping hobby with just three beehives. Jonathan’s passion for bees and diligence in holistic practices has allowed us to expand to 65 hives while also making us the only certified naturally grown apiary in the state of Arkansas.

Even though your kids are young, are they able to participate in the life of the apiary?

Absolutely! Our son, Logan, is such a hard worker! He loves to catch honeybee swarms, collect bee pollen, extract honey and photograph all our beekeeping adventures. Our girls also help with the extraction process and enjoy labeling honey bottles for our customers. Prior to COVID, they would join us at various markets and loved talking to customers about our honey. They especially loved helping people find the queen in our observation hive.

What do they think of the bees — and, perhaps most importantly, the honey?

The kids never cease to amaze me with their bravery, willingness and interest to work and play around the bees. They have had our honeybees flying around them for four years now, so they are pretty comfortable with them at this point. It is not unusual

to see them holding honeybees while we harvest honey.

They absolutely love the raw honey, and as the seasons change they are always so excited to taste the different flavors and see the different colors of the honey.

How has starting the apiary enriched their lives and yours? What lessons have you learned?

Starting an apiary has been an awesome journey for us. As a homeschool family, we love giving our children meaningful experiences and lots of time in nature.

They have been able to witness the life cycle of honeybees firsthand, the way pollination works and the brilliance of queens and their workers. It has also been an opportunity for them to learn the value of hard work, community and serving others.

We learn new things every day and continue educating ourselves on the best sustainable practices for 100% treatmentfree beekeeping.

JONATHAN AND PRISCILLA BAXTER AND KIDS BELLA, LOGAN AND ELLIE MAKE THEIR HOME SWEET HOME (AND KEEP THEIR HIVES) NEAR GREENBRIER.

When not tending to the bees, what are your favorite “family time” activities?

When we are not working and tending to our bees, we love fishing, gardening, making art together and tending to our beloved hens. These kiddos are crazy about their chickens!

What’s helped you keep your sanity during the pandemic?

We’ve been extremely grateful for all the extra time we’ve had together throughout this pandemic. Even though it was a time of uncertainty and hardship, we tried to focus on the positive and press into what matters the most. We spent a tremendous amount of time outdoors exploring and playing board games. We also established some new routines and found new ways to make school more fascinating.

Any parenting advice or wisdom you’ve gleaned over the years?

I would have to say to let kids be kids! The wonder and magic of childhood is just a small, precious portion of their lifetime, and ours. Encourage them to play, get dirty, explore their passions, discover things in nature, take risks and enjoy freedom. It’s a beautiful thing!