Sheila Speer

The 16th Annual “Single Parent Scholarship Fund Picnic” is scheduled for Thursday, May 18th from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Courthouse Lawn.  Each year Saline County partners with the Central Arkansas Development Council to raise money for this scholarship fund to give single parents a “hand up, not a hand out.”  The scholarship is unique because it covers expenses not typically covered by traditional scholarships - things such as babysitting, car repairs or maintenance and gasoline. Each student can receive up to $500.00 per semester toward these costs.

One of the featured speakers will be Sheila Speer. She is a 48 year-old single mom of three children.  Sheila will graduate from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock this month with a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (BAIS) with concentrations in History, Professional & Technical Writing, and Philosophy/Religious Studies. After graduation Sheila plans to attend the University of Arkansas at Little Rock to work on her master's degree in Professional & Technical Writing.  According to Sheila “The Single Parent Scholarship has been a tremendous help to me while furthering my education. As a single parent struggling to make ends meet, the Single Parent Scholarship has given me peace of mind when it comes to extra money for gas to get me and my daughter back and forth to school, and it has helped with auto repairs that I would never have been able to afford. Without the Single Parent Scholarship from Central Arkansas Development Council, I would never have been able to concentrate as much on my studies, or achieve any of the honors that I have received. The Single Parent Scholarship along with the CADC and its other programs has eased my efforts in more ways than I can count, and because of them I have been able to maintain a 3.96 GPA. Thank you Single Parent Scholarship and Central Arkansas Development Council!”

The picnic will feature barbeque pork sandwiches, beans, coleslaw, chips and desserts. Activities at the picnic include a Silent Auction, drawings for door prizes, and an opportunity to hear from other Scholarship Recipients.  Tickets are $10.00 apiece and can be purchased in advance by calling Garry Elrod at 501-778-1133 or Saline County Courthouse at 501-303-5640.  You can also purchase them at the picnic.