Military & Family Readiness

10/21/2026

🎓 The GI Bill isn’t the only way to pay for college. These scholarships for military and veteran kids are free to apply for.

⏰ DUE OCT. 31: VFW Voice of Democracy (grades 9–12, up to $35,000) and Patriot’s Pen (grades 6–8, up to $5,000). Open to ANY student, no GPA needed. Theme: “What a Veteran Taught Me About America.” Enter at a local VFW post.

👨‍👩‍👧 Kids or grandkids of any veteran: AMVETS, $4,000 (high school seniors)

🪪 Military ID holders (active, Guard/Reserve, retired, deceased): Fisher House, $2,000. Opens in December.

🎖️ Rated 100% P&T (post-9/11): Heroes’ Legacy, $2,000. Opens in December.

🎖️ Rated 50%+ (post-9/11): American Legion Legacy, up to $5,000. Opens Jan. 1.

🇺🇸 Fallen or disabled: Folds of Honor (Feb. 1–Mar. 31), Freedom Alliance, Children of Fallen Patriots

📝 Grades: most need about a 2.0. Fisher House and Heroes’ Legacy need a 3.0 in high school. VFW and American Legion Legacy have no GPA rule.

💡 Most can be used alongside DEA, Fry or a transferred GI Bill. Never pay to apply.

📜 Official pages:
VFW: https://www.vfw.org/VOD/

AMVETS: https://www.amvets.org/scholarships

Fisher House: https://fisherhouse.org/programs/scholarship-programs/scholarships-for-military-children/

American Legion Legacy: https://www.legion.org/scholarships/legacy

Folds of Honor: https://foldsofhonor.org/scholarships/military-scholarships/

Children of Fallen Patriots: https://fallenpatriots.org

Veterans Claims Education provides free educational information only and does not assist with or file claims. AI-assisted; questions or corrections: [email protected]

10/16/2026

Congratulations Chief Weaver!

10/13/2026

Sharing an Employment opportunity.

Rattler Family, we have a great opportunity for you to join our staff with a classified job opening for an elementary school secretary. If you are interested, please apply online at: https://www.magazinek12.com/page/joinourfamily. Please help us spread the word by liking and sharing this post.

10/10/2026

Not all expansion and new construction in and around Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith directly supports the foreign pilot training center. The 188th Wing will lease almost...

10/07/2026

If you have not yet visited The US Marshalls Museum plan a visit today!

10/02/2026

Call us today!

10/01/2026

From Fort Smith to Miss America: Celebrating Madison Marsh

Fort Smith is proud to celebrate one of its own on October 30, as the City honors Madison Marsh, a Southside High School graduate whose journey has taken her from Fort Smith to the national stage.

A 2019 Southside graduate, Madison earned her pilot’s license at just 17 and went on to graduate from the U.S. Air Force Academy with a degree in physics. She was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Air Force and continued pursuing her passion for aviation, leadership and service.

In 2024, Madison made history when she was crowned Miss America, becoming the first active-duty member of the U.S. military to earn the title. During her year as Miss America, she used her platform to advocate for military service, cancer research and opportunities for young people.

Madison’s commitment to cancer research is also deeply personal. Following the loss of her mother, Whitney, to pancreatic cancer, Madison and her family established the Whitney Marsh Foundation to support pancreatic cancer research and awareness.

Now, Fort Smith will honor Madison’s accomplishments and connection to the community with the dedication of Madison Marsh Avenue, located at S 41st and Gary Street near Southside High School.

When: October 30, 2026 at 4:30 PM
Where: Madison Marsh Avenue (S 41st and Gary Street) near Southside High School

Join us as we celebrate Madison, her accomplishments, and the Fort Smith roots that helped shape her remarkable journey. 💜

10/01/2026

Today, Alma School District administrators, Board of Education members and staff had the incredible opportunity to visit Ebbing Air National Guard Base and get an inside look at the important work happening right here in our community! ✈️

As a Purple Up district, we are proud to support our military-connected students and families. Opportunities like this deepen our appreciation for the service and sacrifice of our military community and the impact they have on the families and communities we serve.

During the visit, our group toured the base, met with personnel and even had the opportunity to see an F-35 up close!

A big thank you to the Ebbing team for welcoming us, sharing more about their mission and giving us such a memorable experience. 💚💛🇺🇸