Naccaman Williams explained to students involved with the Walton Delta Scholar program at Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia, that he believes there are two things needed to improve the Arkansas public school system. They are good leaders on the school level and outstanding teachers in the classroom.
“We are looking for ways to improve the delivery of education,” said Williams, senior program officer with the Walton Family Foundation. “We are trying to address the staffing needs of the state.”
According to Williams, it is important to provide exceptional teachers to students in the Arkansas and Mississippi delta region.
“We fund higher education institutions to be a benefit to the education community,” he said. “We are looking for ways to find good teachers.”
Williams was on the SAU campus to attend the Walton Delta Directors’ Conference hosted by the University.
“I appreciate the opportunity to get out of northwest Arkansas,” he said.
The Walton Family Foundation awarded seven-year grants to SAU, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, and the University of Arkansas at Monticello to recruit African-American high school seniors to major in teacher education.
“The southern and Delta regions of Arkansas continue to experience a shortage of African-American qualified teachers in the schools,” said Japhet Makia, instructor of writing at SAU and director of the SAU Walton Delta program. “Therefore, the Walton Family Foundation hopes to mitigate the shortage by providing African-American students scholarships and special programs so that after they obtain their degrees in teacher education, they will serve in the Delta and southern regions of Arkansas.”
The teachers serve in those regions at least for the equivalent number of years that they received the scholarship.
Each of the universities has a director who manages the Walton Delta program, including mentoring the Walton Scholars.
For more information regarding the Walton Delta program at SAU, call Japhet Makia at 870-235-4281.
