Jonesboro, AR – Contributed – Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund (ASPSF) congratulates 42 Spring 2026 scholarship recipients from Craighead County.
Thanks to the support of local donors and state funding, ASPSF awarded scholarships in Northeast Arkansas totaling $108,000 to 75 single parents pursuing associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, and skilled-trade certificates.
The single parents were honored at awards ceremonies at Arkansas Northeastern College in Blytheville on March 19 and St. Bernards Auditorium in Jonesboro on March 22.
Craighead County students receiving the scholarship include:
- Ahyesha Steward
- Alexus Donnerson
- Asia Frazier
- Baylee Ford
- Carrie Schoolfield
- Chelsea Jones
- Cheyenne Godding
- Courtney Latham
- Curtis Brown
- Damali Dawson
- Denicia Corbin
- Destiny Lewis
- Faylon Ford
- Gabrielle Sprinkel
- Ikira Wells
- IyTeisha Box
- Jakyra Smith
- Jashayla Johnson
- Jennifer Layman
- Kallen Howard
- Karla Caraway
- Kayla Duncan
- LaBria Hillard
- Leshia Harvey
- Makesha Davis
- Marcy Mays
- Megan Thiesse
- Mikela Jones
- Mokebia Callicutt
- Olivia Perry
- Pamela Bell
- Quaneisha Macon
- Rachel Jones
- Reagan Webb
- Ronisha Baker
- Shacoria Lewis
- Shakyra Anderson
- Shanona Kitchens
- Sienna Johnson
- Whitley Cornelious
- Yasmin Portis
- Yyel Williams
ASPSF’s flexible scholarship of up to $1,600 helps low-income single parents overcome the biggest financial obstacles to earning a degree, leading to a career with family-supporting wages. The monetary aid is paired with mentoring, financial instruction, and career coaching — the soft skill training that transforms students into sought-after employees.
“This scholarship has given me stability and peace of mind during one of the most demanding seasons of my life,” said Spring 2026 recipient and Arkansas State University student Karla Caraway of Craighead County. “As a single parent pursuing my accounting degree and caring for my family, the financial support has allowed me to focus on my education instead of constantly worrying about how to cover basic expenses. Your generosity is not just helping me earn a degree — it is helping me build a secure and stable future for my son and break cycles of financial stress for our family.”
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Local ASPSF volunteers LaShea Robinson and Raven Person assisted at the Jonesboro ceremony. Other guest volunteers included: Devion Portis, Edward Robinson, and Gregory Moore Jr. from The Academies at Jonesboro High School; Gresham Maxwell from Ridgefield Christian School; Haitham Alhajji from Arkansas State University; and Karess Winston from the Kappa Nu Omega chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Additionally, ASPSF volunteer Denese Bogard helped plan and present the Blytheville event.
ASPSF would like to thank St. Bernards Auditorium and Arkansas Northeastern College for lending the use of their venues.
For more information about the Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund — which has awarded more than $55 million in scholarships across the state to single parents since 1990 — contact ASPSF Program Manager Carrie Allen at callen@aspsf.org or 870-345-4681.
About Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund: Statewide nonprofit Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund (ASPSF) is dedicated to ending single-parent poverty through higher education. Since 1990, ASPSF has awarded more than $55 million in scholarships and provided services that empower single parents to complete their education and pursue higher-paying careers. With the help of volunteers and community support, ASPSF creates multigenerational change, transforming lives for both single parents and their children. Learn more at aspsf.org.
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