Arkansas Career Pathways Initiative - CPI

Does your family want to eat healthier, but you are shopping on a budget? MyPlate is a great resource made possible by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Visit https://www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/healthy-eating-budget to learn simple tricks and tips to make each meal a healthier one.

Get ready to pre-apply for a brighter future for you and your family!

Are you an Arkansas parent interested in furthering your education or job training? You may be eligible for assistance through the Arkansas Career Pathways Initiative. Learn more at arpathways.com!

Getting as physically fit as possible is important for everyone in your family, and there are many budget-friendly options when it comes to picking types of exercises. But how can we make getting fit fun for the whole family?

One suggestion could be turning exercise into a "Follow the Leader" game where everyone takes turns picking the movements, and then the group copies that person. What is your favorite way to make exercise fun, especially when exercising with your children? Let us know in the comments!

Is one of your New Year's resolutions to further your education or job training? Are you the custodial or noncustodial parent of a child under the age of 21 and have a modest household income? You may be eligible for assistance through the Arkansas Career Pathways Initiative! Learn more at arpathways.com.

Is your family interested in finding some financial wellness education resources? Check out the Arkansas Financial Education Commission's webpage at https://www.arfinancialed.org/resources.

Where will your path take you? Pre-apply for the Career Pathways Initiative and find out! arpathways.com

SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) provide motivation, focus, and direction for success in your personal and professional lives. By setting goals that meet these criteria, families can determine what they want to achieve, how to achieve it, and when they will accomplish it. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-write-smart-goals

Eligible parents interested in furthering their education or job training should check out the Arkansas Career Pathways Initiative for assistance with their tuition and other related expenses. arpathways.com

Whether you are sneaking in a late-night snack, reheating some leftovers, or cooking a meal for a large family gathering, it is important to be aware of food safety information. If you want to learn about safe internal temperatures, food recalls, proper food handling and storage procedures, and much more, check out foodsafety.gov.

Practicing motor vehicle safety is important whether you are just popping down the road to the store or traveling across the country to visit relatives. Check out the Arkansas Children's Hospital website for their recommendations on keeping children safe while on the road. https://www.archildrens.org/injury-prevention-center/motor-vehicle-safety

You want to give your children the world, and we want to help! CPI can assist eligible custodial and noncustodial parents of children under 21 who have a modest household income with college tuition, childcare, transportation, supplies, & support for other college-related expenses. Learn more about eligibility requirements at arpathways.com.

Are you interested in learning more about product safety and recalls? Check out the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's webpage! They even have a mobile app to help you search for specific types of recalls such as toys, car seats, beds, and much more. https://www.cpsc.gov/Safety-Education

Eligible parents can request assistance from Arkansas CPI to help with their tuition and support for related expenses. Learn more and pre-apply at arpathways.com!

Is your family cold weather ready? Whether or not we see any ice or snow this winter, cold weather can still pose dangers that we should prepare our families for. If you need tips on how to be at home and on the road, visit https://www.ready.gov/winter-ready. This website even offers a few low-cost solutions for home heating. Stay warm and stay safe!

The Arkansas Career Pathways Initiative can help eligible parents with tuition and support for related expenses. Learn more at arpathways.com and contact the CPI team at a participating college near you!

With the increasing use of digital tools, we're more connected than ever before. But as we store more sensitive information online, it's important to be aware of the risks. Check out the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency's webpage to learn how you can help keep your family secure. https://www.cisa.gov/secure-our-world

Hey, parents! Want to reach for the stars and achieve your educational and job training goals? Look no further than the Arkansas Career Pathways Initiative! With CPI, you can take your first step towards a brighter future for your family. Visit arpathways.com now to learn more.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have created a helpful list of parenting tips for every stage of childhood. These tips cover important topics such as your child's development, health, safety, and positive parenting. You can find this list at https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/positiveparenting/.

Not only can cooking with your kids be a fun family activity, but it can also be a great way to support what they are learning in the classroom, such as reading and math. Learning to cook can also help them be better prepared to care for themselves in adulthood.

If you are wondering which campuses are participating in the Arkansas Career Pathways Initiative (CPI), you can check out our interactive map or contact list available at https://arpathways.com.

During last week’s CPI workshop, several colleges participated in a Shark Tank competition during which CPI directors and college marketing/outreach staff from across the state pitched their marketing ideas to a panel of four judges from the Arkansas Department of Education, Arkansas Travelers, City of North Little Rock, and U.S. Bank.

Six colleges won supplemental funding to implement the outreach activities they presented to the judges. The winning institutions are listed below. To learn about their outreach ideas and their amount of funding, check out the captions on each photo. Congratulations to the winning teams!

Arkansas Tech University - Ozark Campus
National Park College
Black River Technical College
Ozarka College
Arkansas State University Three Rivers & National Park College
UA Cossatot

We would also like to give a special thanks to the Shark Tank judges who were willing to offer their expertise and time in participating in this fun event: Bradley Field, Director of Marketing and Promotions for the Arkansas Travelers; Kevin Chaloner, Vice President - Arkansas State District Manager at U.S. Bank; Kimberly Mundell, Director of Communications for the Arkansas Department of Education; and Shara Hutchcraft, Director of Communications for the City of North Little Rock.

National STEM Day is coming up on November 8, so plan to take some time to explore the world of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) as a family. The Arkansas STEM Coalition (Science Technology Engineering Math education) has many great resources for parents and students at https://arkansasstemcoalition.com/students-parents.

Last week, CPI directors and college marketing/outreach staff from across the state attended a two-day workshop to discuss how CPI can be used as a recruiting tool to increase college enrollment. Marketing experts led discussions and aided participants as they prepared to compete in a Shark Tank competition, pitching their marketing ideas to a panel of sharks (judges) from U.S. Bank, Arkansas Travelers, City of North Little Rock, and the Arkansas Department of Education.

Based on the decisions of the sharks, six colleges will receive supplemental funding to implement various outreach activities. Photos of the winners and information about their Shark Tank pitches will be posted later this week, so follow us to learn more!

What path will you choose? Pre-apply and discover how you can further your workforce training and education with help from the Arkansas Career Pathways Initiative. https://arpathways.com

Halloween is just around the corner, and we want to make sure you and your family have a spooktacular time while staying safe. Check out the FDA's article full of tips on costumes, candy, and colored contact lenses to make sure everyone has a frightfully fun time. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/halloween-safety-tips-costumes-candy-and-colored-contact-lenses

It's National School Bus Safety Week, so for , let's take a look at the Division of Elementary & Secondary Education's website, flashingredkidsahead.org, for some great safety tips!

We want to thank the CPI team members working in colleges around the state for their dedication to the students they serve! Your hard work does not go unnoticed, and we appreciate each of you. Thank you for helping CPI students find their path to a brighter future every day! Happy Financial Aid Day!

Pictured (L-R): Kevin Lewis, Monieca West, and Lisa Fuller

Hey parents! Did you know that October is National Bullying Prevention Month? It is important to have conversations with your children about bullying. To find ideas for discussion topics, check out the great resources compiled by the Arkansas Division of Elementary & Secondary Education's Safe Schools Unit at https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Offices/safe-schools-unit/bullying-and-violence-prevention.

If you aren't sure that you qualify for Arkansas Career Pathways Initiative but are interested in the program, fill out the pre-qualification questionnaire on our website for assistance determining eligibility & getting connected with the CPI staff at your local community college. https://arpathways.com/prequalification