Purvis, Smith Eureka royalty

George Purvis, assistant vice president and loan officer at Cornerstone Bank inEureka Springs, and Tanya Smith, founder and president of Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, have been named King Krazo IX and Queen Eureka IX by The Royal Court and the Monarchs of the Krewe of Krazo during this year’s Eureka Gras Kick-Off Gala at the Rowdy Beaver in Eureka Springs.

Purvis is a Eureka Springs native who began his career with Cornerstone Bank seven years ago.

He serves on the Carroll County Community Foundation Board and is an adviser to the foundation’s Youth Advisory Council.

He has also served as director of the ECHO free clinic board, on the Eureka Springs Chamber of Commerce and has graduated from the Carroll County Leadership Program.

Smith and her family have been caring for big cats since 1978, opening Turpentine Creek in 1992. She serves on the Turpentine Creek Board of Trustees, the Arvest Bank Board and the Northwest Arkansas Tourism Association Board and is a member of the Arkansas Hospitality Association and the Eureka Springs Rotary Club.

Borengasser play chosen for festival

“Outside the Box,” a 10-minute stage play by Dan Borengasser of Springdale, has been chosen to be produced for the Short+Sweet Festival in Sydney, Australia.

The play is about a girl named Cassie who wants a puppy for her 12th birthday. Instead, she gets a mime and discovers the value of silence. Borengasser has worked as a syndicated humor columnist, written award-winning stage plays and had a science fiction short story nominated for a Hugo award.

Short+Sweet features more than 150 of the best 10-minute plays from local and international writers. The festival started Wednesday and will continue through Sunday at the King Street Theatre in Sydney.

Carter honored for school work

Chris Carter, assistant principal at Northside High School in Fort Smith, has been named 2014 Assistant Principal of the Year by the Arkansas Association of Secondary School Principals. Carter received the award during a surprise ceremony held Jan. 6 at the school.

The award is presented every year to an assistant principal at an Arkansas secondary school. Awards are given based on personal excellence, collaborative leadership, curriculum, instruction and assessment. Carter and award winners from other states will be honored at a gala in Washington, D.C., in April, where they will have the chance to be named National Assistant Principal of the Year.

Carter has been at Northside for eight years.

Furlong wins design contest

Kimberley Furlong, an assistant professor of interior design at the University of Arkansas Fay Jones School of Architecture, was project designer and manager for a project that won Best Presentation at the Southwest Regional Conference for the Interior Design Educators Council.

The project, Red Hawk Retreat, was created with Mell Lawrence,principal, and Krista Whitson, associate, at Mell Lawrence Architects in Austin, Texas. The 2,900-square-foot home is located in Wimberley, Texas, and was built for a retiring couple who wanted a carefree, modern retreat that fit in with its natural surroundings.

Eakin showcases art in Russellville

Dylan Eakin, a 2013 graduate of the University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, showcased his artwork at the River Valley Arts Center in Russellville in December.

The Lamar native graduated from the university in May. He has spent the past few months as a resident ceramist at the Pottery Northwest Ceramics Studio in Seattle.

The exhibit stems from Eakin’s win at a local collegiate art competition while he was still as student in Clarksville. He won Best of Show for his ceramic sculpture “Looking Up.”

Eakin will be in Seattle as a resident ceramist for two years.

Prichard named to academic board

Barbara Prichard, the director of gifted and talented education for the Fayetteville Public Schools, has been selected to serve on the Academic Assembly of The College Board.

The Academic Assem bly works to provide students with universal access to high standards of learning. The assembly’s goal is to expand access to educational excellence for all students by promoting high academic standards and standards for the delivery of curriculum and instruction.

Prichard has been with the Fayetteville School District since the 1983-1984 school year.

Henehan chosen for education group

Shelli Henehan, an assistant professor of education at the University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, has been chosen for the board of the Arkansas Early Childhood Education Association.

Her two-year term began Jan. 1.

Henehan will serve as the board’s treasurer. The association is a nonprofit affiliated with the regional Southern Early Childhood Association.

The group is trying to increase professional opportunities for early childhood educators and provide useful publications for them.

Carpenter second in doodle contest

Jade Carpenter of Fayetteville placed second in the OFM/Quartet “Do You Doodle?” contest.

The contest was designed to find the best examples of whiteboard art from offices around the country.

Carpenter created a reproduction of the title character from Dr. Seuss’ children’s book The Lorax standing on a tree stump.

Winning entries can be seen online at bit.ly/DoYouDoodleContest.

Send information about birthdays, honors and reunions to [email protected], [email protected] or Northwest Arkansas Achievers, P.O. Box 7, Springdale, AR 72765. Deadline is noon Monday for Thursday publication.

Style, Pages 29 on 01/16/2014