Jonesboro, AR — (Contributed) — March 31, 2025 — The Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund (ASPSF) congratulates the spring 2025 scholarship recipients from the counties of Clay, Craighead, Greene, Lawrence, Mississippi, Poinsett, and Randolph in Northeast Arkansas.
Thanks to the support of local donors and state funding, ASPSF awarded scholarships totaling over $137,000 to 97 single parents pursuing associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, and skilled-trade certificates. The single parents were honored at an awards ceremony at St. Bernards Auditorium in Jonesboro on March 9.
ASPSF’s flexible scholarship of up to $1,600 helps low-income single parents pay for the biggest financial obstacles to obtaining a degree leading to a career with family-supporting wages. The monetary aid is paired with mentoring, financial instruction, and career coaching — the soft skill training that transforms students into sought-after employees.
“I am incredibly grateful for the support I have received from the Single Parent Scholarship Fund these past few years,” said spring 2025 recipient China McChristian from Mississippi County, who is enrolled at Arkansas State University. “This scholarship has alleviated financial burdens and allowed me to focus on my education and my role as a parent. This scholarship has truly made a difference in my life, and I hope to one day pay it forward to other recipients! Because of your support, I will be receiving my bachelor’s degree in social work this May!”
The recipients from each county are below:
Destiny Hall and Rachel Jordan from Clay County were also awarded as well as Dru Wilson and Hannah Carter from Lawrence County. Felicia Graves and Summer Grider from Randolph County also received a scholarship plus additional students from various counties not named for privacy reasons.
For more information about Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund — which has awarded more than $55 million in scholarships across the state to single parents since 1990 — contact ASPSF program manager Carrie Allen at callen@aspsf.org or 870-345-4681.
About Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund: For more than 30 years, Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund has worked to create stronger, more educated, and more self-sufficient families. Through scholarships and services, ASPSF opens doors for low-income single parents, helping them pursue education, secure employment, and transform the future for their families. With the help of volunteers and community support, ASPSF creates multi-generational change, transforming lives for both single parents and their children. For information about scholarships, volunteer opportunities, and ways to give, visit www.aspsf.org.
The burn ban for Craighead County has been lifted after the area received rainfall over the weekend.
The Craighead County Historical Society (CCHS) will have its quarterly meeting in April with the theme “Elvis in Craighead County.”
Ryan Pannone has been named the Red Wolves’ 18th head men’s basketball coach.
County employees and community members gathered to celebrate Craighead County head election clerk Lesli Penny’s retirement after 19 years of service to the county.
