Did you know…
There is Mountain Biking School Coming to the Mountain Biking Capital of the World
Founded by Kyla Templeton and Nat Ross (MTB Hall of Famer), a duo who possess over 50 years of cycling experience, Bike School Bentonville is a “ski school” for mountain biking coming to Bentonville in the spring of 2022.
Bike School Bentonville will launch its two initial programs in April 2022:
- The Academy is tailored to serve youth who are interested in expanding their talents beyond what the current junior high and high school programs offer. Participants must be at least 13 years old as travel is a component.
- Trail Kids is a program created for kids ages 7-13, to build technical skills while having fun riding the trails together.
Applications are open for those interested in participating in The Academy or in becoming a coach in the Trail Kids program!
Not in your age range? In Northwest Arkansas, you can also go to college for bikes.
There is a New Way to Upskill into Healthcare
Modeled after successful Project QUEST programs across the country, Excellerate Foundation and Walton Family Foundation have joined together to launch Upskill Northwest Arkansas (Upskill NWA) to provide a path to higher-wage jobs for lower-income families in the region.
In January 2022, Upskill NWA will begin by connecting 100 participants to career opportunities in the healthcare field and will provide assistance with tuition, supplies, and fees, as well as connect participants to additional wraparound services (e.g. rental assistance, child care, transportation, etc.) that will allow regular class attendance. Additionally, “Career Navigators” will help keep participants on track while helping them develop skills such as persistence, time management, and financial literacy.
Upskill NWA is actively seeking applicants for Emergency Medical Technicians and Respiratory Therapists. Due to capacity, they are no longer accepting applicants for Radiological Imaging Sciences (Rad Techs) or LPN’s. However, that should not keep you from applying! Their Career Navigators will talk through your options either in a different degree or future semesters.
There is a New Way to Upskill into Healthcare
Modeled after successful Project QUEST programs across the country, Excellerate Foundation and Walton Family Foundation have joined together to launch Upskill Northwest Arkansas (Upskill NWA) to provide a path to higher-wage jobs for lower-income families in the region.
In January 2022, Upskill NWA will begin by connecting 100 participants to career opportunities in the healthcare field and will provide assistance with tuition, supplies, and fees, as well as connect participants to additional wraparound services (e.g. rental assistance, child care, transportation, etc.) that will allow regular class attendance. Additionally, “Career Navigators” will help keep participants on track while helping them develop skills such as persistence, time management, and financial literacy.
Upskill NWA is actively seeking applicants for Emergency Medical Technicians and Respiratory Therapists. Due to capacity, they are no longer accepting applicants for Radiological Imaging Sciences (Rad Techs) or LPN’s. However, that should not keep you from applying! Their Career Navigators will talk through your options either in a different degree or future semesters.
There is a 500-Acre Campus Dedicated to Health & Performance
You may have seen famous actor and former WWE superstar John Cena in Northwest Arkansas recently. He was in town to pay his respect to veterans and show his support for the FitOps Foundation at the University of Health & Performance.
The University of Health & Performance (UHP) is a wellness-driven educational institution working to equip veterans and active-duty military with the tools needed to discover renewed purpose after their time in uniform through the power of fitness, health, service, and community.
The program takes 12 weeks to complete with 36 students per session. The first 9 weeks will be spent working through an online course consisting of modules, short quizzes, and a digital copy of the textbook. The final 3 weeks will be spent full time, onsite at Camp FitOps diving into the practical application of the curriculum. Prior to graduation and departure from the course, each student will sit for their standardized personal training exam and receive a diploma.
UHP at Camp FitOps is located in Northwest Arkansas on 500-acres on the edge of the Ozark Mountains. Along with world-class training, education, and culinary facilities, students have access to running trails and obstacle courses.
Any citizen who is at least 18 years of age, has a background in service (i.e. military, first responder, military spouse/dependent, etc), and has a recent medical clearance from their physician, is eligible to apply.
There is a Center for the Study of Food
Brightwater: A Center for the Study of Food approaches food as art, food as wellness and food as business to offer an entirely unique approach to the culinary arts. The school offers academic degrees in artisanal foods, culinary arts, pastry and baking, and beverage arts as well as courses that focus on culinary nutrition, food waste reduction and food security. Special classes in applied farming, seasonal cooking and the art of fermentation are among the many one-of-a-kind classes that can be found at Brightwater.
Beyond degree pathways, Brightwater regularly hosts virtual learning opportunities and offers a variety of individual courses such as baking, butchery and culinary nutrition. Children also have the opportunity to learn at Brightwater. Each summer, children ages 9-17 who are interested in culinary and baking skills can sign up for NWACC’s Kids’ College.
Lastly, thanks to instructor Chef Erin Szopiak’s recent certification as a Certified Culinary Medicine Specialist (CCMS), Brightwater will continue to expand its culinary medicine education offerings and strengthen partnerships with Northwest Arkansas healthcare providers, teaching culinary medicine to medical students and healthcare professionals.
Brightwater is the first department at a community college in the U.S. to license curriculum from Tulane University’s Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine
There is a Center for the Study of Food
Brightwater: A Center for the Study of Food approaches food as art, food as wellness and food as business to offer an entirely unique approach to the culinary arts. The school offers academic degrees in artisanal foods, culinary arts, pastry and baking, and beverage arts as well as courses that focus on culinary nutrition, food waste reduction and food security. Special classes in applied farming, seasonal cooking and the art of fermentation are among the many one-of-a-kind classes that can be found at Brightwater.
Beyond degree pathways, Brightwater regularly hosts virtual learning opportunities and offers a variety of individual courses such as baking, butchery and culinary nutrition. Children also have the opportunity to learn at Brightwater. Each summer, children ages 9-17 who are interested in culinary and baking skills can sign up for NWACC’s Kids’ College.
Lastly, thanks to instructor Chef Erin Szopiak’s recent certification as a Certified Culinary Medicine Specialist (CCMS), Brightwater will continue to expand its culinary medicine education offerings and strengthen partnerships with Northwest Arkansas healthcare providers, teaching culinary medicine to medical students and healthcare professionals.
Brightwater is the first department at a community college in the U.S. to license curriculum from Tulane University’s Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine
There is a Farm School & Farm Apprenticeship Program
The Center for Arkansas Farms and Food (CAFF) at the University of Arkansas was developed to strengthen and expand our food and farming system, enhance local communities, and provide opportunities for farmers, food entrepreneurs and food system leaders.
The goals of the CAFF are centered on supporting a vibrant regional food system, and the farms that make it possible. CAFF is dedicated to helping new and established farms succeed while training the next generation of farmers.
To help accomplish these goals, CAFF has launched two programs:
- The CAFF Farm School Program is an 11-month crash course in growing fruit, vegetables, flowers and herbs for local and regional markets. Students will learn about sustainable farming production systems and the business applications needed to succeed. The CAFF Farm School prepares farmers to become specialty crop entrepreneurs and contribute to their local and regional food systems. Applications have closed for 2022, but you can learn more here.
- The Farm Apprenticeship program matches apprentice areas of interest with mentor farms, providing real-world farm experience. Apprentices learn alongside successful farmers, experiencing “farm life” before starting their own farm businesses. The CAFF apprenticeship program lasts one to two seasons, depending on apprentice interests. The program includes a core set of classes with curriculum topics that complement the hands-on learning. Applications for the apprenticeship program close on Dec. 1, 2021, learn more here.
