Student Activities - 91ԭ��

91ԭ�� Celebrates Pi Day

Claire Fisher — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 21:10:15 +0000

Black River Technical College’s (BRTC) math department celebrated Pi Day at both locations, Pocahontas and Paragould, on March 11 and 16.

The Pocahontas celebration was led by instructors Daphne Perkins and Jessica Stout, and the Paragould celebration was led by instructor Travis Harris. The faculty members passed out waters, individual pies, pizza, and Pi themed pencils to 186 students.

Attending students also filled out a survey for a chance to win a $25 Walmart gift card. The Pocahontas winner was Chloe Crosy, and the Paragould winner was Barkley Evans.

For more information about BRTC visit /.

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91ԭ�� Library Announces “Blind Date with a Book” Winner

Claire Fisher — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 21:58:18 +0000

91ԭ�� library recently hosted “Blind Date with a Book” throughout February.

91ԭ�� students, faculty, and staff were invited to check out an unknown wrapped book based simply on genre to read and review. Each person who turned in their review was entered in a prize drawing.

91ԭ�� Career and Technical Center (CTC) student Dafne Vargas is the winner. She picked the book “The Light We Lost” by Jill Santopolo. Vargas gave the book 5 out of 5 stars and said she would recommend the book to a friend.

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91ԭ��’s Phi Theta Kappa Holds 9th Annual Day of Caring

Claire Fisher — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 22:36:54 +0000

Left to Right: Ashley Banks, Rachel Koons, Ragan Brosig, and Zayli Dos Santos.

Black River Technical College’s (BRTC) Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) chapter held its 9^th Annual Day of Caring on both campuses on December 3 and December 4.

PTK’s Day of Caring, held in partnership with BRTC’s Student Government Association (SGA), gives BRTC students who are also parent an opportunity to pick a Christmas present for each child in their household. PTK and SGA recognize college can be hard on a parent financially and they want to help ease that burden during the holiday season. Between both campuses, the event saw nearly 90 students and approximately 135 toys were taken to new homes for Christmas.

For more information about Phi Theta Kappa contact Rachel Koons at rachel.koons@blackrivertech.edu or (870) 248-4172.

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PTK to Hold Food and Personal Hygiene Drive

Claire Fisher — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 20:31:42 +0000

This week, BRTC's Phi Theta Kappa chapter will be holding a food drive and personal hygiene collection for the BRTC Food Pantry!

YOU can make a difference by helping us support BRTC students and their families!

Dates: Wednesday, November 19 & Thursday, November 20

Locations: BT Lounge & Health and Science Complex (Pocahontas) & PAC Hallway (Paragould)

Donations: Non-perishable food items & hygiene products

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91ԭ�� Holds Veterans Day Ceremony

Claire Fisher — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 21:52:33 +0000

Left to Right: Dr. Martin Eggensperger, Jody Callahan, and Sergeant Holden Hartsfield

On Tuesday, November 11, 91ԭ�� held a Veterans Day Ceremony on the Pocahontas campus.

The ceremony, put on by the Office of Student Development and BRTC Veteran Affairs Representative and Academic Advisor Michelle Wooldridge, honored the nation’s veterans and highlighted BRTC employee and student veterans. Dr. Martin Eggensperger, BRTC President, started the ceremony by welcoming guests and reading a brief history of how Veterans Day came to be. Continuing the ceremony with the Pledge of Allegiance was Arkansas Army National Guard’s Sergeant Holden Hartsfield, and BRTC student Kersee Brewer followed the pledge with the National Anthem. Vice President of Student Affairs Jason Smith read the closing section of the Gettysburg Address to help remind everyone of the sacrifice of soldiers by continuing the fight for freedom and national unity.

The ceremony’s guest speaker was Jody Callahan, BRTC Workforce Education Development Coordinator and veteran of the Army and Army National Guard. Callahan reflected on his time in the military and how he came to his decision to join. He also addressed all of the sacrifices, seen and unseen, that soldiers and their families make on a daily basis to keep the county safe.

For more information about BRTC’s Veteran Affairs contact VA Representative Michelle Woolridge at (870) 913-9605.

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91ԭ�� Holds 6th Annual Bucks and Ducks Fall Festival

Claire Fisher — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 15:47:50 +0000

Over 400 students, faculty, and staff attended Black River Technical College’s (BRTC) 6^th Annual Bucks and Ducks Fall Festival on Thursday, October 9.

High school students throughout BRTC’s service area also participated in a preview day held simultaneously with the festival. Eight groups of leaders guided students through every building on the Pocahontas campus, giving them a true look at all BRTC has to offer.

“We were thrilled to welcome 230 students from 15 high schools to our campus this year,” Admissions Counselor Erin Mathews said. “Including Doniphan High School, who joined us for the very first time!”

After the tours, attendees spent the rest of their time playing games and enjoying sweet treats. Pedal-kart racing, pumpkin painting and carving, and trying homemade desserts from BRTC employees were the highlights of the day. Dane Dillion, Director of Student Development, said BRTC also added many new activities to this year’s event, ensuring there was something for every student to enjoy.

Dillion also expressed his gratitude for all of the help from BRTC employees and community volunteers. He said he was grateful for everyone’s willingness to help make the annual event a success.

Pictures from the event can be found on BRTC’s Flickr account, .

For more information about BRTC visit /.

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91ԭ�� Celebrates Constitution Day

Claire Fisher — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 15:42:06 +0000

91ԭ�� celebrated Constitution Day on Wednesday, September 17.

Students were able to stop by the admissions building on the Pocahontas campus to check out the Constitution Day display and participate in a Constitution Day scavenger hunt held by the BRTC Library. They were also able to take constitution fun-facts and quizzes, a constitution word search, and their own pocket constitution.

According to the National Archives, Constitution Day is held on September 17 to commemorate the day it was signed in 1787 at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This year, 2025, marks the 238th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution.

For more information about Constitution Day visit .

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91ԭ�� Completes Latest Student Legacy Project

Claire Fisher — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 17:56:05 +0000

Black River Technical College’s (BRTC) Paragould location now has more seating for students after the completion of the college’s 2024-2025 Student Government Association (SGA) Student Legacy Project.

The new seating area is located outside the Paragould Academic Complex (PAC Building) and features five seating arrangements. Students can now gather for study groups at the picnic tables or hang out with friends under the parasails.

This project is the latest in the series of Student Legacy Projects. The BRTC SGA Student Legacy projects utilize funds from the collection of the student activity fee and allocates them to a project, chosen by the student body, that will enhance the BRTC student experience for years to come. Past SGA projects include the creation of the BRTC mascot, the construction of the coffee shops on both campuses, and the BRTC Black Hawk sculpture on the Pocahontas campus.

For more information about BRTC’s Student Government Association contact Dane Dillion at (870) 248-4158, or email at dane.dillion@blackrivertech.edu.

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91ԭ�� Library Houses National Exhibit

Claire Fisher — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 17:52:21 +0000

A new national exhibit is the centerpiece for a collaborative project between 91ԭ�� and the Eddie Mae Herron Center. The exhibit “Am I An American Or Am I Not?” focuses on the history of the Japanese American incarceration during World War II, and is named after a quote from Fred Korematsu, who famously challenged the mass imprisonments.

The exhibit is currently on display in the BRTC Library on the Pocahontas campus and is open to the public free of charge. It includes 13 free-standing towers with photos and text telling the story of Korematsu and some 125,000 Japanese Americans, most of whom were American citizens, in the wake of Japan’s bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941.

“This exhibit will educate and open eyes and minds to a part of our history that has in many areas had less exposure than other historical aspects of World War II,” said project co-organizer Dr. Jan Ziegler. “We believe this exhibit holds great potential to impact audiences of all ages, from students to adults.”

91ԭ�� Vice President of Academic Affairs Brad Baine said the college is excited to be a partner in this venture, and is pleased to invite community and well as student audiences to view the exhibit in the BRTC Library. The exhibit will remain open for the remainder of August and through the month of September. The library is open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday. Group visits can be arranged by contacting Mark Warnick, BRTC Library Director, at (870) 248-4061. Individual or family visits to view the exhibit do not require prior notification.

Eddie Mae Herron Center Director Pat Johnson expressed appreciation to BRTC for its willingness to partner in making possible this unique experience: “We understand the importance of examining our country’s history and the importance of shining a light on how civil rights have evolved for Americans—and how the lessons of the past can help us shape a more just future.”

“Am I An American Or Am I Not?” was developed by the Fred T. Korematsu Institute, in partnership with Exhibit Envoy and AGH Arts Strategies. The Fred T. Korematsu Institute promotes civic participation and education to advance racial equality, social justice, and human rights for all. This project was funded, in part, by a grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Japanese American Confinement Sites Grant Program.

For more information about the Fred T. Korematsu Institute, or educational resources, visit . For more information about the BRTC Library contact Mark Warnick at (870) 248-4061.

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91ԭ�� Students Tour Nucor-Yamato

Claire Fisher — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 21:44:00 +0000

A group of 91ԭ�� students from the Paragould and Piggott campuses had the opportunity to visit Nucor-Yamato in Blytheville, AR, to explore possible career paths. During their visit they learned about the history of the company and got to go on a comprehensive tour of the plant.

The tour showed and explained the entire steel-making process to the students. Students got to see key departments like the plant substation, melt shop, and rolling mill. They also got to watch important processes like unloading of raw materials, casting, and quality control.

The visit to Nucor-Yamato gave students a unique, behind-the-scenes look at one of the nation’s leading steel making manufacturers and highlighted career opportunities within the industry.

91ԭ��'s Career and Technical Center (CTC) is a free program which enables high school juniors and seniors to get a head start on a career after high school. Students can graduate with their high school diploma as well as with a BRTC certificate at the same time, ready to go right into the workforce. This program is funded by the Office of Skills Development.

For more information about BRTC’s CTC program visit /college-coursework/career_and_technical_center/.

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91ԭ�� Holds 9th Annual Child Abuse Awareness Event

Claire Fisher — Mon, 05 May 2025 13:17:17 +0000

91ԭ�� hosted the 9^th Annual Child Abuse Awareness Event on the Pocahontas campus on Thursday, April 24. Roughly 60 people attended the event, along with members of the BRTC Student Government Association and the BRTC Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) chapter.

Rachel Koons, Social Science Instructor, started the event by welcoming all attendees and advocacy groups. The Child Abuse Prevention Month Proclamation was read PTK Vice President Lane Pace, and Gateway Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) 3^rd Judicial Executive Director Beau McBride read the 2024 Arkansas statistics for child abuse cases. McBride read there were more than 29,000 cases of child maltreatment reported in Arkansas and around 6,500 of them were found to be true. While the number of true cases is still large, it is 4,500 cases less than 2023.

The survivor speaker for this year’s event was BRTC student and PTK Vice President of Community Service Misty Martin. Martin is the first current BRTC student to be a survivor speaker. She told the group about the abuse she endured growing up and how she had been failed by the adults who were supposed to protect her. Although she had endured dark times, she said she is blessed to be married and have two wonderful children. Martin said speaking out and getting the appropriate help is what has helped her begin a journey to healing.

“I am helping the little girl inside of me; she deserves that,” Martin said.

After Martin’s story, Ashley Stover, Gateway CASA Board Member, explained the importance of the blue pinwheel. The blue pinwheel is a national symbol for child abuse prevention. They represent healthy and safe childhoods for all children and hope for a better future. To show further show their support, all guests planted blue pinwheels outside of the Administration building to create a pinwheel garden. The garden stands as a beacon of hope for children and as a memorial for the children who lost their lives at the hands of maltreatment.

The Child Abuse Awareness event was created in 2016 by a social work class instructed by Rachel Koons and has only missed one year due to COVID-19. Each year there are multiple child advocacy groups that attend and give out information about the services they provide. This year there were 10 advocacy groups in attendance to support the event.

Pictures from the event can be found at .

For more information about the Child Abuse Awareness Event contact Rachel Koons at rachel.koons@blackreivertech.edu, or call at (870) 248-4172.

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91ԭ�� Library Announces “Try Your Luck” Winner

Claire Fisher — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 16:06:40 +0000

Black River Technical College's (BRTC) library recently announced the winner of the "Try Your Luck" contest held during the month of March.

Student Kimberly Fry won a $50 gift card to "Let's Roll" in Paragould by finishing her book and turning in her completed bookmark. Fry read The Fault in Our Stars by John Green and gave it a rating of five stars.

"Definitely a tear jerker, but is a beautiful story. 10/10 would read again," Fry said.

To participate in "Try Your Luck", participants picked a wrapped book based on the genre. Once they had their book, they read it and filled out a bookmark with their review. The event was open to BRTC students, faculty, and staff.

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