Our school system and vocational training: two essentials but often overlooked aspects for economic growth.

Economic development is a broad term used to describe an attempt to economically enhance a particular area or situation. In this case we are looking at the city of Bryant. When you begin to explore the various facets and avenues for achieving economic development, we of course are looking at the positive aspects for this.

Two essentials but often overlooked aspects are our school system and vocational training. The city of Bryant is privileged to have two of the best in the state. When it comes to the bright school district and the career technical center for Saline County. The Bryant school district is home to nine thousand, six hundred, and fifteen students. Thirteen schools which are comprised of one pre-K, eight elementary, two middle schools, one junior high, and one high school.

The Bryant school district employees one thousand, one hundred and ninety-three staff members. These staff members not only facilitate classroom education experiences, but they also are essential in the development of our children and youth from sports, extracurricular activities, transportation, and meals served to our students.

So, how can our education system be a benefit to economic growth you may ask? The benefit is profound, let us go back to food service in 2023 the Bryant school district served 14,407 breakfast meals and 27,396 lunch meals during their summer food program. This summer food program reaches a part of our community that otherwise may be overlooked. Enhancing that segment of community only improves our community and this improvement is done through the efforts of our school district.

The school district is a legitimate measure of the current health and future success of your community. When you see your school district growing, you are seeing a reflection of growth within your community. Continuing to invest in your school district with your tax dollars, your donations, your volunteer hours, are vital in both your school success and your community success.

K through twelve education offers opportunities for local students to grow, mature, become educated, thus developing a well-rounded and educated student to benefit your local job force and community. The more opportunities your school district has to offer various education and Advanced Placement courses this too greatly benefits the students and the community.

A healthy school district will also provide economic growth through their various sports and extracurricular activities. From Friday Night Football in the fall, basketball games, banned competitions, and school club activities. When your school district is healthy and they have the facilities to host noteworthy events, these events serve as economic drivers for the community.

For example, Bryant high school hosted the state's marching band competition. This competition has brought several thousand students into our community, from schools across Arkansas. When these students travel, so do their friends and family members. These friends and family members along with the students need a place to eat, sometimes a place to spend the night, and yes from time to time they will do some local shopping during their breaks.

High school sports are also a major driver for the local economy. When your school system has the facilities available, it gives the school district an opportunity to submit proposals to host state tournaments and championship events. When the school district is awarded these types of events, those events also serve as economic drivers for the local community.

Stepping away from the local school district you can then turn to the saline county career and technical campus. This campus offers our students up to eight types of certifications that a student can receive and upon graduation enter the workforce immediately at qualified and high paying jobs. Currently there are just over three hundred Bryant high school students participating in certification courses at the career technical campus.

Having this career technical campus in our county and our local school districts participates, develops a highly qualified and desirable workforce for local businesses and industry. In return, it is an investment in our youth that will reap financial benefits for our community in both the short term and long-range goals for Bryant.

With the constant quest for positive economic development within our community, we must never lose sight of the value of our education system. Efforts must be continuously pursued, to both invest and improve our facilities, locations, faculty development, personnel, and every means possible for our students. Each student is the most meaningful investment a community can have when it comes to economic development.

As our school district in Bryant continues to grow let us look at this growth as opportunity and investment in our community. This growth reflects our community growing and moving forward and this is a fabulous position to be in. As our school district does continue to grow, we will need to be on constant watch to make certain that we meet as many needs as possible with a clear understanding that it is in fact all about our student population within our community. As we invest in them, we are investing in our future as a community.