Jonesboro, AR – (Contributed) – Arvest Bank recently gifted six local teachers with $500 each during the bank’s annual “We Love Teachers” initiative to help purchase school supplies for their classrooms.
Teachers were selected by partnering with school administration based on classroom needs. In total, 137 teachers at K-12 public state-funded schools across the bank’s four-state footprint received a $500 award.
The teachers who were honored this year are:
- Jane Andrews, Brookland Public Schools
- Jon Newman, Jonesboro Public Schools
- Lindsay Phillips, Jonesboro Public Schools
- Kelli Cochran, Nettleton Public Schools
- Alexandra Guedea, Valley View Public Schools
- Shannon Cox, Westside Public Schools
“Supporting education starts with supporting educators,” said Selena Barber, community marketing specialist for Arvest Bank – Jonesboro. “We know that teachers often reach into their own pockets to provide supplies for their students. We hope this money can help ease that burden, allowing them to purchase the creative tools and essential materials that help students thrive and succeed in the classroom.”
The bank’s “We Love Teachers” initiative began in 2016 to help local teachers with the purchase of school supplies. According to a 2025 Teacher Spending Survey by AdoptAClassroom.org, teachers reported spending an average of $895 out of their own pockets for classroom supplies during the 2024-2025 school year.
Now in its 10th year, Arvest has donated $608,000 to local teachers throughout Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas.