About Contact News Annual Reports Careers Outages Safety Find Your Cooperative Economic Development Community Government Affairs Philanthropy and Service Arkansas FFA and 4H STEM Education Programs Youth Tour Farm Family of the Year Philanthropy and Service School Programs AECC/AECI Philanthropies and Service Projects 20th Century Club American Cancer Fund American Cancer Society American Heart Association American Red Cross AR Kids Read Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame Arkansas Arts Center Arkansas Children’s Hospital Arkansas Department of Emergency Management Arkansas Foodbank Network Arkansas Game & Fish Foundation Arkansas Hunger Relief Arkansas Rice Depot Arkansas Rural Teacher of the Year Benton High School Cheer Boy Scouts of America Bryant Boys and Girls Club CARTI Foundation Central Arkansas IAAP Chapter Children’s Protection Center Clark County Boys & Girls Club Cub Scouts First Tee For His Throne Ministries Habitat for Humanity Humane Society of Saline County Huntington’s Disease Society Junior Achievement Program Keep Arkansas Beautiful Kiwanis Activities Lambs List Lions Club Little Rock Animal Village Little Rock Roadrunners Make-A-Wish Foundation Maumelle Friends of the Animals NABMU National Park Service Newport Area Chamber of Commerce NRECA Glen English Foundation OAYO- Ozark Area Youth Organization P.A.R.K. Positive Atmosphere Reaches Kids Foundation Play Ball Little Rock Blackhawks Pulaski County Sheriff Reserve Association Razorback Foundation University of Arkansas at Fayetteville Red Wolves Foundation Arkansas State University Riley’s Warrior’s Saline County Striders Siloam Springs Children’s Center Summer Cereal Drive – Arkansas Foodbank Susan G. Komen “Race for the Cure Toys for Tots Campaign, Marine Corps Reserve University of Arkansas Community College at Hope Foundation VTN Studio Where Angels Run Winthrop P Rockefeller Cancer Institute Foundation Women Run Arkansas of Saline County Women’s Foundation of Arkansas Arkansas Rural Teacher of the Year Ouida Newton, a math teacher with the Poyen Public Schools, has been named as the 2014 Arkansas Rural Teacher of the Year by the by the Arkansas Rural Education Association and the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas, who sponsor the annual award. A resident of Leola, she holds a Bachelor of Science degree in education from Henderson State University and a Master of library and informational science degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She has taught at the Poyen Public Schools since 1979. “My responsibility as an educator is to prepare students to be able to flourish in their future,” she said. “Not only do I have to teach math skills, but I also must teach students how to be problem solvers and lifelong learners.” According to Newton, community expectations are high in rural schools. Parents and other community members expect a student who attends a rural school to perform better than students who attend larger schools, she said. “Whatever it takes to reach children is what educators do,” said Newton, a third-generation teacher. “A small school allows teachers to adjust instruction based on a student’s need. I believe that teachers can touch lives and communities for a lifetime.” The Rural Teacher of the Year Award winner is selected based on the quality and depth of answers to questions in the following categories: professional biography, educational history, professional development, community involvement, teaching philosophy, education issues and the teaching profession. Arkansas Rural Teacher of the Year Winners: 2013 Beverly Froud White County Central High School 2012 Kathy Rusert Acorn High School 2011 Mindy Brinkman Hampton High School 2010 Ginny Chambliss Rison High School 2009 Patricia Hesse Weiner Elementary and High School 2008 Jimmy Stroud Hector High School 2007 William Tims Edwards II Oden High School 2006 Reginald (Reggie) Fryar Van Cove High School 2005 Beverly Cothran Bruno-Pyatt Schools 2004 Lavina Grandon Valley Springs High School 1 Cooperative Way / Little Rock, AR 72209 (501) 570-2200 communications@aecc.com Give Your Career Some Energy About Us Our History The Cooperative Difference Generation Facilities Arkansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. Executive Bios Distribution Cooperatives Economic Development Community Arkansas FFA and 4H STEM Education Programs Youth Tour Farm Family of the Year Philanthropic School Programs Government Affairs ACRE Legislative Directory Legislative Issues Hydroelectric, Wind and Solar Resources Hydroelectric Solar Wind Energy Efficiency Building Guidelines Energy Cost Adjustments Heat Pump Water Heaters LED Holiday Lights Old Appliances Standby Power Your Energy Dollars Contact Careers Safety Outages Terms and Conditions Accessibility © 2018 Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas, All Rights Reserved