Stories from Local Champions

Today we have four guests! We wanted to hear a little more from people who have spent their lives being champions for kids.
Ryane Owens-Sorey talks about tapping into her passion to be a champion in a local school district and now using that passion to begin her work with the AWARE team as a Regional Trainer. Andrea Fortner, Guidance and Counseling Coordinator, discusses how it is hard to be a champion alone and who she has partnered with over the years. Dr. Amanda Musick, director of student services for Bentonville, shares what it is like to lead champions in a larger school district. Beth Mathys, AWARE Regional Trainer, talks about how the passion to be a champion for kids often grows out of personal experiences.
There are champions out there. If you're feeling alone in your work, we hope this episode reminds you that there are like-minded people out there working alongside you in Arkansas!

Welcome to season 4 of Arkansas A.W.A.R.E.!


Join Betsy Kindall, Nicole Fairchild, and Stacy Moore as they discuss issues related to mental health in education. Their conversations are witty and relate-able, simultaneously shedding light on issues that can sometimes be hard to confront or understand. These episodes are chunked into small bites and packed with information that would be helpful to educators, parents, children.....anyone! We want to help make everyone more A.W.A.R.E.!

Project A.W.A.R.E. is a grant program funded by S.A.M.H.S.A. (the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). The Sandy Hook school shooting happened in December of 2012. In 2013 the White House initiative "NOW IS THE TIME" came out with 2 key goals:

1. Make schools safer and more nurturing.

2. Increase access to mental health services.

The "NOW IS THE TIME" initiative laid the foundation for federal grants like A.W.A.R.E. Arkansas applied for and received the second round of funding for A.W.A.R.E. in October of 2018. Our project is dedicated to Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education.

Arkansas A.W.A.R.E.

Transcript

Resources:

A.W.A.R.E. website


Produced by Donnie Lee
Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
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