LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission recognized 13 schools from across The Natural State with the designation of “Schools of Conservation Leadership” at Thursday’s regularly scheduled Commission meeting in Little Rock.
According to AGFC Education Chief Mary Beth Hatch, 21 schools applied for the program last year, but only 13 completed all the requirements to achieve the designation.
The following schools were named Schools of Conservation Leadership for 2025-28:
- Deer K-12 School
- DeWitt Elementary School
- Happy Hollow Elementary in Fayetteville
- Izard County Consolidated High School
- Izard County Consolidated Middle School
- John L. Colbert Middle School in Fayetteville
- L.M. Goza Middle School in Arkadelphia
- Lincoln High School
- Mount Judea K-12 School
- Pinkston Middle School in Mountain Home
- Sherwood Elementary School
- SOAR Academy in Fayetteville
- Valley Springs High School
To earn this designation, each school had to participate in a variety of conservation-based activities and curricula. In addition to enrollment in programs such as Hunter and Boater Education, Fishing in the Natural State and Stream Team, schools had to have guest lecturers attend their campus to present conservation-oriented materials, complete a student visit to a hatchery or AGFC nature center, and showcase conservation in community-based outreach through fishing derbies or STEM nights. Additional requirements for teachers completing conservation-based professional development and applying for conservation education grants were also included in the designation. Each school was required to host program evaluators in a site visit to showcase everything accomplished over the school year…