Education Alliance

10/20/2026

Education Alliance is happy to announce the 2027 Home School Graduation is open for registration. Bentonville graduation will be held at the Bentonville Church of Christ on May 1, 2027, and Searcy, Harding University on May 15, 2027. If you register by February 15, 2027, the cost is $105.00. The price goes up to $135.00 after that date. The deadline is March 15, 2027, to register.

This is a fun opportunity for you and your family to celebrate this momentous occasion in the life of your graduate. If you have a child who will be finishing high school this year, you won’t want to miss out on this! You can register at:

Graduate Packets – The Education Alliance is pleased to sponsor two high school graduations for home schoolers every year: one in Searcy and one in Bentonville. This is a fun opportunity for you and your family to celebrate this momentous occasion in the life of your graduate. If you have a child ...

10/19/2026

10/07/2026

09/29/2026

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) recognized high school seniors from Arkansas as National Merit Scholarship semifinalists.

Among the semifinalists named this year were three students enrolled in home school or online school in Arkansas: Aaron Hubmann of Bauxite; Laura-Grace Getty of Cabot; and Isaac Gillespie of Conway.

Students vying for the National Merit Scholarships apply by taking the PSAT exam in the fall of their junior year. NSMC says, "These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 6,700 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $24 million that will be offered next spring."

To be named as a National Merit Scholar Semifinalist is a tremendous honor. Please join us in congratulating Aaron, Laura-Grace, and Isaac on their achievement!

09/25/2026

The United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) is pleased to announce that state departments of education nationwide have begun the selection process for the 65th annual Washington Week, to be held March 6-13, 2027, in Washington, D.C. A total of 104 students will be chosen as delegates for the week-long education, leadership, and public service program, with opportunities to meet their U.S. Senators and other high-ranking government officials. Each delegate is eligible to receive a $12,500 undergraduate college scholarship and must attend the entire Washington Week program to receive the scholarship.

USSYP is a competitive, merit-based program created by Senate Resolution 324 in 1962 that brings two high school juniors or seniors from each state and the District of Columbia, plus two students attending military-connected high schools overseas to deepen students’ understanding of the political process and strengthen their resolve to pursue careers in public service. State departments of education across the country select the students through a rigorous nomination and selection process.

The $12,500 undergraduate college scholarship is given to each student in the name of the United States Senate, with encouragement to continue coursework in history, government, and public affairs. Military officers who serve as elite chaperones and mentors to the student delegates throughout the week are competitively selected through the Office of the Secretary of War, in one of the longest-standing partnerships between a national youth program and the Department of War. The Hearst Foundations have fully funded and administered the program since its inception; no government funds are utilized.

A selection committee composed of Arkansas Department of Education officials, educators, and other experts in the field will screen all eligible applicants and make recommendations to the Arkansas Secretary of Education. Selection is based on outstanding ability and demonstrated qualities of leadership.

APPLICATIONS must be POSTMARKED no later than Friday, October 9, 2026. Applicants who are unable to mail the application should contact Ronda Smith at (501) 682-7816.